Bittersweet
by notenoughpotter
Summary: Elena has her "happily ever after." Married to the love of her life with the job she's always wanted, she can't dream of making any changes. But sometimes life has a way of playing by its own rules. When her world turns on its side, can the one person who's always been there when she needed him help her pick up the pieces? (MAJOR character death)
1. Chapter 1

Happy Valentine's Day!

Just a quick note - this is the SAME "Bittersweet" as I posted years ago. I'd originally planned to do some major revisions and publish it on Kindle Worlds, but my agent and I decided against it. So….after many requests, here you go.

For those who've read this before, you may find some edits along the way, but nothing significant will change. I've just had so many requests to post this one (and "Echoes") that I thought it would be fun gift for all of y'all for Valentine's Day.

I do want to warn you that this story will have a major character death. If that's not something you want to read, then you'd probably be best skipping this one and waiting for my next Vampire Diaries story to come about.

Once again - this story is simply for entertainment purposes. I don't own The Vampire Diaries...only the plot is my own.

* * *

"Ouch, Kennedy. Aunt Elena actually needs her hair..." She reached up and pried open the toddler's sticky fingers. She frowned as she looked of the strands of long, dark hair that remained threaded through her niece's chubby fingers. "Well, I need most of it anyway." Balancing the now-grumpy one year old on her hip, she turned to Stefan. "Can you take her while I help Jenna?" Trusting Jenna with the Thanksgiving turkey was always an exercise in courage. The day was much less likely to require a visit from the fire department if the other guests kept the little ones amused.

"Aw. Aunt Elena just isn't any fun, is she?" Stefan teased his wife as he ran his hand down her back. "Let's go see if we can find something else to play with." He eased his niece out of Elena's grip with one hand and continued the process of untangling the hair from Kennedy's fingers before they made it into her mouth with the other. He walked from the kitchen and into the former sitting room that Jenna and Alaric had converted into a playroom for their ever-expanding brood. He turned at the sound of footsteps racing down the stairs.

"Hey, no football in the house." Alaric reached out and plucked the ball from Jackson's hand just as the five year old hit the bottom step.

"But Uncle Damon said..." Jackson looked up the stairwell for moral support.

"Uncle Damon said we'd go play football outside." Damon bent and whispered into his almost-nephew's ear. "We don't want to make your mom mad on Thanksgiving, she'll burn the turkey. Uncle Stef, you want to play too?" Damon reached out and took the ball from Alaric. "I'll make sure he doesn't break a window this time."

"Come on, Uncle Stef!" Jackson bounded to his uncle's side.

Stefan had given up attempting to teach his nephew how to correctly pronounce his name. Damon spent too much time hanging out with Alaric for any correction to stick. He glared at Damon as he shook his head in mild annoyance. Unfortunately, he couldn't ignore his brother's laughter as he spun the football in his fingers. "Let's go. Kennedy and I can watch."

"Put on your jacket." Jenna stood in front of the french doors in the kitchen, blocking her son until he went back to retrieve his jacket. "Don't forget..." She paused as she saw Stefan already winning the battle at threading Kennedy's arms through her pink hoodie. "I don't know how he does it." She moved aside to let Jackson out the door and her rounded belly brushed against the card table set up adjacent to the kitchen table. "She'll do anything for Stefan."

"My brother's always had a way with the ladies." He winked in Jenna's direction.

"Remind me why we invited you again?" Jenna gave him a warning glare as she pointed to Jackson staring up at his idol. She brushed her hair out of her face as she walked to the sink to wash her hands.

"Because your son worships the ground that I walk on, I keep him out from under your feet, and," he motioned to the wine rack, "I always bring the good stuff."

"As if I could drink it."

"Save it for later. Just remember this the next time you and Alaric think about adding to the family. After number three, he's going to be driving a mini-van."

Jenna laughed and nodded as she turned her attention to the stove where the mashed potatoes had just begun to boil over. She turned the fire down and reached behind her to rub her back.

"Jenna, why don't you go sit down. I can take it from here." Jenna sighed and wiped her hands on a dish towel. "You don't have to ask me twice."

"Are you sure I can't help?" Liz Forbes walked into the room and leaned against the kitchen counter. "I can do something. Do you need me to set the table?"

"Of course not, you're our guest." Elena waved Liz off. "And, Jackson actually already set the table." She raised an eyebrow as she looked at the table. "Why don't you go keep Jenna company. The doctor wants her off her feet."

"So, how's Caroline these days?" Jenna fluffed a pillow and put it behind her back.

"She's doing really well. She loves her new job - she has a lovely group of girls. I went to visit a few weeks ago and watched one of their games. She thinks they have a great chance at winning the state cheerleading title this year. Did I tell you she bought a house? She sent me pictures from her yard this morning. The trees are just lovely."

Leaving Jenna safely in the hands of Liz and her Caroline update, Elena walked back into the kitchen to check on the turkey. She jumped as someone put cold hands on her shoulders. "Jeremy! I didn't hear you come in. Where's Hannah?"

"We just got here." He motioned to the back door. "She stopped to take Kennedy before she became part of the game. Jackson wants Stefan on his team." Elena smiled as she watched Damon speeding through the yard with Jackson on his back. Definite touchdown. "Ric's going to be sore tomorrow. He shouldn't try to race Damon."

Elena walked back to the oven. "I think the turkey's done. You got here just in time. Can you go break the news to the football team?"

"So I get to be the bad guy?"

"Yep. Looks like it."

Hannah reached around Jenna's shoulder to pick up the last of the dessert dishes as Elena removed the drinking glasses from the table. She stumbled as Kennedy caught hold of her pant leg. "Umm...a little help?" She turned to the adults assembled around the television in the living room.

"I've got her." Stefan scooped up Kennedy and she giggled as he flew her through the air. She yawned as took hold of his shirt. "Is it time for her nap?" He looked to Alaric for confirmation. "I'll take her up." He climbed the stairs while Kennedy patted his back.

Liz smiled as she collected the silverware. "He really is great with the kids. Do you know how lucky you are, Elena?"

Elena's shoulders tensed as she nodded. She knew what was coming, and she tried to prepare herself. She was caught on the far side of the dining room - too far away to retreat into the safety of the kitchen.

"So," Liz continued, "I know it isn't really any of my business, but you and Stefan have been married what...six years now?" Liz paused. "When are you two going to have a little one of your own?"

"Umm," she stalled. "I'm not sure." She bent over and let her hair fall in front of her face. She plucked the last of the glasses off the table and hurried into the kitchen. Her hands were shaking as she added the dishes to the sink.

Stefan jogged down the stairs. "I think she'll stay down." He was surprised at the tension that filled the living room. The television was on, and the guests seemed to be half-watching.

Liz met him as he hit the bottom step. "Stefan, I'm sorry. I didn't know." She looked as if she'd be pleased if the floor simply opened up and swallowed her. "I wouldn't have asked..."

Confused, he looked for Elena but instead noticed Damon's concerned expression. His brother nodded toward the kitchen.

"Elena?" Stefan could tell her breathing was shaky as she stared out the kitchen window where Alaric and Jeremy were deep in conversation. Neither of the men noticed Jackson seemed to be attempting to propel himself into space on the wooden swing set.

"I'm okay." She wiped angrily at her cheeks, still not turning to face him. "I'm okay." She took a deep breath as she turned and leaned against the kitchen counter - tear tracks were still visible on her cheeks. "Really," she attempted a smile, "Liz just caught me off-guard."

"Do you want to go home?"

"No." Elena shook her head. "I promised Hannah I'd look at the bridal magazines with her. If I'm going to be wearing the dress, I'd like a little say in it." Using the oven as a makeshift mirror, she smoothed her hair before looking up at Stefan. "Do I look alright?"

"Always." He stroked her cheek and was saddened when he found lingering traces of her tears.

Putting on a brave face, Elena walked into the living room. "So, Hannah, did you bring those magazines?"

* * *

Elena placed her journal on the nightstand as she clicked off the bedside lamp. She peeled the blankets back and slid under the covers. Stefan tossed his book onto the floor as he wrapped his arms around her. The cool, sun-filled day had ended in a cold drizzle. "You're cold." He pulled the blanket up over her shoulders and she nestled into his side. He ran his hand down her arm as he kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry about today."

She winced. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Are you sure?" He couldn't hide the shadow of worry in his eyes - no matter how dark the room was.

"Not tonight." Her breath caught in her throat. She was quiet for a few minutes - her hand absently stroking Stefan's chest. "I just need to be with you." She reached up and caught his face between her hands and pulled his lips to hers and kissed her husband with a desperate intensity. She threaded her fingers through his hair as she pulled his face lower - until his lips met her throat.

"Elena." His voice was scarcely louder than a whisper. He gently moved away as he shook his head.

"I need all of you tonight, Stefan." She stroked his cheek and guided his lips back to her throat.

Elena's gentle breathing was the only sound in the room as she lay curled into Stefan's side with her head on his chest. He stroked the smooth skin of her back as he stared up at the ceiling. He was worried about Elena. He'd known these past months hadn't been easy for her - a series of one disappointment after another, but he didn't know how to help her.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: Yep. This chapter is different from the original chapter two.

I still don't own "The Vampire Diaries." I'm just borrowing the characters for a little while.

Content Warnings: Rated "M" for mature subject matter (not smut)

* * *

"Damn it." Elena leafed through the stack of papers on her desk. Three legal pads. Four composition books. A handful of pictures she'd printed for inspiration for her new work-in-progress. No edit letter. Corrie must have been dreaming when she said she'd overnighted the edit letter.

Just like the last three times she'd dug through the not-incredibly-well organized mess she called her office. Where others saw chaos, she saw the workings of her next book. Or at least that was the general idea. She'd torn the house apart. She didn't care what the delivery guy said. He hadn't dropped it off with Stefan.

Why did she agree to the next book in the series? She'd planned three – no more, no less. But when Corrie said the publisher had someone interested in film rights, she'd reluctantly agreed to the fourth book.

That was before the meeting with the social worker. She'd never have guessed a single no would do so much damage.

To her writing life.

To her relationship with Stefan.

To her own mental health.

Stefan was worried about her…and about them. She could tell it by the way he stirred an extra half-spoon of sugar into her tea last night and how he suggested they eat at Thai Tina's for the third time this month. Nothing improved her mood like a hot, crispy spring roll.

But there were some things even spring rolls can't fix. She gritted her teeth together as she fought the urge to look down the hallway toward the little room. Three windows let in just the perfect amount of light – not too dark, not too bright. Before the social worker met with them, Elena had already started mentally decorating the room. She wasn't going to have much spare time with another book under contract, and she knew they'd be have to be ready for a phone call at any time.

She gave a bitter laugh at the irony of actually anticipating an interruption to her writing routine.

Now she had all the free time in the world. She always would, if she were being totally honest with herself. Now that the last door wasn't just slammed in their faces….but was locked tightly too, it was time to move on.

As she sat and sipped the last of her green tea, Stefan asked if she wanted to schedule an appointment with an interior designer…to convert the little room into a library. It made sense. An author should have a library somewhere.

That was when she knew they were really giving up.

A car door slammed outside, pulling her from her thoughts. She wasn't expecting anyone. She glanced at the clock. _Crap_! Her search had taken her far too long on a day she already didn't have any time to spare.

The doorbell jingled cheerfully. At least something in this house was happy.

She raced down the stairs, thankful that she'd packed her bags the night before. Whoever this was couldn't be staying. She started rehearsing her I'm sorry, but you need to leave speech before she even got to the door.

Slinging her overnight bag onto her shoulder, she threw open the door and blinked in surprise.

Damon rested one hand against Elena's door frame. "Delivery for you." He pulled an envelope out from under his arm.

"That's one mystery solved." She'd be calling to lecture the Mystic Falls post office yet again. How they couldn't tell the difference between Stefan and Damon was a continual mystery. Elena took the thick envelope from his hand and frowned. "I don't know why the post office keeps delivering my mail to your house. There are three Salvatores that live in this town. Only one is female. They need _seriously_ need to learn to read." Her voice was sharper than she'd intended it to be.

"Going somewhere?" His right eyebrow arched as his forehead wrinkled in a classic _worried-Damon_ expression.

Awesome. It wasn't enough that Stefan had her on sanity-watch, now she'd just managed to set off Damon's alarms too. That was all she needed. Two Salvatores concerned about her. Of course, what else was new? Elena bit back a string of profanity.

Elena adjusted the strap for her overnight bag onto her shoulder as she closed the front door. "I'm late for my flight. I told Jenna I'd watch Kennedy while she went to her doctor's appointment. I didn't know the doctor would decide to go deliver a baby while she was there."

Damon shrugged. "The doctor can't exactly schedule those things."

"Tell that to my new editor when I miss my meeting." Elena cracked open the envelope and cringed. It looked like someone had bled all over the sample chapter, and she had enough experience with blood to know what it would look like. "Why did Kate have to decide to get married and move to Virginia?"

Damon stared at Elena while giving her a look that suggested he was assessing her vital signs. Having a vampire for a brother-in-law had its drawbacks. "When's your flight?"

"In about 2 hours. Can you move your car?" Elena squeezed under his outstretched arm and closed the door behind her. The alarm chimed reassuringly as she turned her key in the lock.

"I'll do even better than that. How about a ride?"

"No, I can drive myself."

"I know you can, but I've also seen you behind the wheel when you're upset." Damon raised his eyebrows as he teased. "Besides, not having to park and take the shuttle will take thirty minutes off your trip."

"I'm not upset." If his eyebrows arched any higher, they'd be hidden beneath the fringe of his raven-black hair. She felt her shoulders droop as she admitted defeat. "Okay. I'm upset. This," she shook the envelope, "has a lot more red on it than I'm used to."

"You'll be able to look at that while I drive you." Damon pointed at the envelope. He said the magic words, and he knew it.

"You don't mind?" She hesitantly pulled her bag from the backseat. "Stefan would have driven me, but I had to call him to come take over watching Kennedy."

"Elena, get in the car." He held the door open and gave her an impatient look.

Damon had been hoping to have some time to talk with Elena without any other distractions, but he wasn't sure if this was the right time. She seemed rattled far beyond normal for a meeting with an editor. He let the first fifteen minutes of the drive pass in silence - the only sound in the car was the radio playing softly in the background. Elena was the picture of frustration. Every few minutes, she'd shove an errant strand of hair behind her ear. As they drew closer to the airport, he knew he couldn't wait any longer. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Her reply cut through the air like a knife. He hadn't been on the receiving end of one of Elena's _moods _since she was a junior in high school. And she didn't even notice.

_Normal _Elena would already be stumbling over herself apologizing for her sharp reply. This was anything other than a normal version of Elena. Her cheeks were flushed. Her breathing sped. Her heart churned in her chest. If he didn't know better, he'd say she was in a life or death fight, but she was just reading whatever had been in that envelope. Part of him was annoyed that he'd driven it over to her. But if he hadn't, she'd have been driving herself.

And she was in no shape to drive.

"You haven't seemed yourself lately." Damon decided to push his luck as he peered at her out of the corner of his eyes.

"I've just been under a lot of pressure. The publisher wants another book." She bit her bottom lip.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Damon pressed the subject, noticing she was choosing not to answer. He'd seen her face on Thanksgiving. She wasn't just bothered about her novel. "Is everything alright with you and Stefan?"

Elena turned and looked out the window. She ran her fingers along the windowsill. "Of course."

Where was a traffic jam when you needed one? Too soon for his liking, Damon pulled into the airport. As he stopped the car at the curb, he reached out and patted the back of her hand. "Elena, Stefan's my brother, but I'm always here if you need to talk. You know that, right? You're not just my sister-in-law. You're my friend."

"I know, Damon, but nothing's wrong. Thanks for the ride." With hardly a hint of a smile, she slid out of the car and jogged into the terminal.

* * *

"Thanks for coming, Bonnie." Stefan reached out to take Bonnie's jacket as she looked suspiciously around the foyer of Elena and Stefan's house. He never called Elena's best friend, at least he hadn't done it in a very long time. But saying he was desperate was like saying ants kind of enjoy visiting a picnic….especially when Kennedy left a cookie trail for her new _friends. _

Last night had been the final test. Elena had been putting on a brave face since they met with the social worker at the adoption agency, but he could tell by the way she wasn't quite meeting his eyes at breakfast every morning that her _I'm-doing-fine _routine was just that…an act.

He'd worried they'd reach this impasse. He'd worried about it before he proposed. He'd worried about it before they got married. Each time he'd asked her, she'd reassured him that their love was strong enough to get through anything…and she didn't even know if she wanted kids. If they decided they did, well…they could adopt.

But they couldn't.

And Elena desperately wanted a baby. He saw it in her eyes every time she watched Jackson threw Alaric the football and each time Kennedy got into Jenna's makeup. At Thanksgiving, Elena chewed her lip so hard while staring at Jenna's well-rounded stomach that she brought blood. It didn't help that Ric and Jenna seemed to breed as easily as rabbits.

Elena wanted a baby. And that's why Bonnie was here. "Can I get you some coffee?"

"Coffee would be great, thanks." She looked around the well-lit foyer. "Is Elena home?"

"No." Stefan guided her into a sitting room off the foyer. "She's flying to New York. Her editor wanted a face to face meeting." He glanced at his watch.

"That doesn't sound good."

He shook his head. "She's having issues with the new book."

Bonnie looked up in surprise. "Elena?"

Stefan's brow furrowed as he handed Bonnie a steaming cup of coffee. "Have you talked with her lately?"

"Does Facebook count?" Bonnie realized she hadn't spoken with Elena in the past several weeks, and even her friend's Facebook status updates had grown strangely quiet. "Stefan, I know you had to have a reason to ask me to come here - especially since Elena's gone. What's wrong?"

"I'm worried about her, Bonnie." Stefan settled into the chair opposite Bonnie's seat at the couch. "She wanted to move back so she could be close to Jenna and her family, but that seems to just be making it harder on her."

"Haven't you heard back from the agency yet?" Bonnie was surprised. Most adoption agencies would be tripping over themselves trying to place a child into Stefan and Elena's family. When she'd toured the home, Bonnie could tell Elena had picked out this house just for its family feel. Located in the newest section of Mystic Falls, the elementary school was just down the street. At first, Bonnie had wondered why the couple hadn't moved back into the boarding house; but when Elena had announced their plans to adopt - Bonnie understood.

"Actually, we received the sixth rejection the day before Thanksgiving. This time the social worker met with us in person. It's over. There's nowhere left to apply. With the number of times we've tried and been turned down, the next agency already told us no." Stefan leaned forward and rested his chin on his arm. "I can compel the doctor when he's giving me the physical, but I can't compel everyone who handles the paperwork and the lab reports. There are just too many people involved."

He shifted in his chair. "She needs to be a mom, Bonnie. I'm not going to take that from her." He took a breath and hesitated for a moment. "I met with a lawyer last week. I even had the paperwork drawn up. I said it was all my fault, but Elena wouldn't sign."

"You want to divorce Elena?" Bonnie's eyes widened to the size of ping pong balls. "Have you talked with Jenna and Ric?" She cocked her head to the side. "Since Stefan you're standing there, undead in front of me, somehow I'm doubting it."

"I don't want to, but I don't want to see her like this forever. If we can't adopt, that was one option...one that Elena doesn't want to take. I even talked about using a sperm donor," he laughed grimly, "that was also a no."

"Well, at least one of you is making some sense."

Stefan realized he was circling Bonnie – a side-effect of being a predator. Sometimes the instinct just took over. He fought to stand still. Squeezing his hands at his side, he tried to steady his voice. Bonnie could already sense he was desperate, he could tell it by the curious expression on her face. But she had no idea just how desperate he was…or how big a request he was about to make.

He hadn't been this frightened since the night Elena came to his door after figuring out exactly _what _he was. Stefan spun his ring on his finger. "Have you talked with Lucy lately?"

"Lucy? No, I haven't talked with her in almost a year." Bonnie shivered like a cold blast of air washed over her. "Why do you want to know about Lucy? You need a witch. A dark witch." A look of horror pushed past the curiosity in her eyes. Her voice was low and almost threatening. She sounded strangely like her grandmother. "Stefan, trust me, you don't want to go there."

"That's where you're wrong." Stefan shook his head. He squeezed his eyes shut and hung his head. "Bonnie," He slowly looked back up at her. "I'm desperate. I'll do anything. Elena needs this. I just want to know if there is a way to have a baby with the woman that I love."

"Stefan, that's not possible."

He stared earnestly at her. "I'm a believer in the impossible. I'm over 150 years old. I wear a ring that allows me to walk in the sun when it should kill me." His voice was scarcely louder than a whisper as he said, "The reason you're talking to me today is because I gave you my blood almost 10 years ago. I saved your life, Bonnie." He didn't like to talk about that night. They hadn't seen that side of Damon in recent memory.

"I know. And I know what that means." Her eyes met his.

Stefan hated that he was about to do this. He'd always ignored that particular rule. When a vampire saved a witch, the witch was bound to serve the vampire. He'd never imposed that rule on Bonnie.

Until now. "I need you to help your friend." His voice was firm. He'd hoped to persuade her, but if she wouldn't agree, then he'd willingly make her honor her debt. "I don't even know if there's a way…"

"Take some time. Look through the old grimoires. Try to contact Lucy. Whatever you find out, come visit Elena. She's not herself these days. You could even come for Christmas. I know Elena would love to have you here. We're hosting since Jenna's due on the 26th."

"Great timing." Bonnie laughed.

"Not sure if this one was actually planned, since Kennedy just turned one. Just come visit. "

"What if I can't?"

"Then, I'm not holding you to anything. Bonnie, I know that this might not even be possible, I just need you to find out if it could be."

* * *

The ringing phone jarred Elena and Stefan awake. She'd taken the last flight out of New York and felt as if she'd just closed her eyes. This phone call had better be good. She reached out groggily and knocked it to the floor at first. Rubbing her eyes, she dragged her hand across the floor until she found the handset. "Hello?" She blinked as she stared at the clock.

2:17

"Elena?" Alaric coughed into the phone.

"Ric?"

"When did you get home?"

"I decided not to spend the night." After the meeting with her editor, she was ready to get home to the comfort of her bed. She might not even bother with getting up the next morning. "What's wrong?"

Ric's answer was lost amid another coughing spell.

"Give me the phone." Jenna mumbled in the background. "Elena." Jenna took a deep breath. "Your uncle has bronchitis."

"Okay." Elena could tell this was a conversation that would go more smoothly if she'd had more than an hour of sleep - or just a few cups of coffee.

"And my water just broke. The doctor won't let him come to the hospital."

Now the pieces were falling into place. She glanced over at Stefan as he rolled out of the bed and pulled on his pants. "We'll be right over." Elena wrapped her robe around herself as she slid out of the bed.

"Stefan..." Elena reached over the back of the waiting room chair and wrapped her arms around her husband. "We have a new niece." She gave a tired smile as she dropped into his lap and leaned into his chest. For the first time in days, he felt her muscles relax. He hadn't seen her this happy since they were in the car on their way to their first meeting with an adoption agency.

He couldn't think about that right now. Elena might sense it, and he wasn't going to ruin tonight for her. "How's Jenna doing?"

"She's fine, but Ric better watch out. She told him not to go on that Cub Scout camping trip last weekend." Elena closed his eyes, and for an instant, he thought she was going to fall asleep right there in the waiting room.

Stefan winced. He'd crossed Jenna when she was angry, and it wasn't something he wanted to do again any time in the near future. Ric was going to have to really work to dig himself out of this one, of course, since the baby was three weeks early - it wasn't as if Ric had really planned it.

"Come on," Her eyes popped open unexpectedly. She grinned as she jumped to her feet. "Her nurse is a nightmare. I don't want to leave her alone too long, but someone has his phone turned off." Stefan would have been worried about being on Elena's bad side if she hadn't been wearing such a broad, teasing grin.

"This way." She reached down and threaded her fingers through his as she led him through the hospital corridor. She stopped in front of a room and tapped lightly on the closed door. Elena gently pushed the door open and peeked inside. "Can we come in?"

"Of course." Jenna sat on the bed with a tiny bundle cradled in her arm. "Do you want to hold her?"

Elena's eyes lit up. She'd been there with both Jackson and Kennedy were born, but she'd never held a minutes-old baby. "She's so tiny." Stefan watched as Elena fought back tears, peeling the blanket back and took the little one's hand in hers. The exuberant-Elena of a few minutes ago was gone. In recent months, he'd become all-to-familiar with this version of his wife.

"Five pounds two ounces. The doctor says she's doing just fine to be three weeks early." Thankfully, Jenna was too exhausted to notice the melancholy settle over her niece.

"Have you picked out a name?" Stefan leaned against the wall and watched as Elena stroked her niece's cheek. Even from across the room, he could tell that she was biting her lip.

"Madison."

"Still going with the presidents' names?" Stefan laughed.

"What can I say, their dad's a history teacher? I told Ric she's the last, though. We're out of names."

A nurse pushed the door to the room open. "Sorry." She walked to Jenna's bedside and began to take her blood pressure. "I think Mom needs a little time to rest now. You two can come back later."

* * *

Bonnie slowly stopped her car in front of Elena's house. Judging by the lack of other cars in the driveway, she was the first guest to arrive. She pulled her coat on as she stared at the house. The blinds moved in the front window. Moments later, Elena stood on the porch motioning in her direction. Bonnie couldn't put it off any longer.

"Bonnie! I couldn't believe it when Stefan said you were coming. It is so good to see you." Her friend wrapped her arms around her. "Where's your dad today?"

"He's meeting his girlfriend's kids." Bonnie didn't even try to hide the grimace that came over her face. Spending the holiday surrounded by someone else's family wasn't her idea of a good time, present company didn't count. Elena was family, and Elena's family had been there for her when her own father wasn't. "Not exactly where I wanted to be for Christmas."

"I'm so glad Stefan ran into you at the grocery store."

Bonnie nodded and played along. She wasn't sure exactly what story Stefan had created to explain Bonnie's presence at Christmas.

Elena was in hostess-mode, happily prattling on. "You're always welcome here, you know that." She reached out to take Bonnie's coat. "If it gets too crazy, though, I don't blame you if you decide to leave."

Bonnie didn't know who Elena thought she was fooling. She looked over Elena's shoulder at Stefan standing down the hall. He gave her a knowing nod. This wasn't the friend she knew…or at least it wasn't the friend she'd known for the last decade. This was _I'm pretending everything is fine Elena. _That version of Elena hadn't come to visit in a very long time.

Her eyes were too wide. Her voice was too cheerful. Her smile was painted on as carefully as the lipgloss that shone in the lights from the Christmas tree. Elena was faking being alright. Because she was a wreck.

A car horn sounded from the driveway. "Looks like everyone else is here." Damon called out from deep within the living room. Bonnie hadn't seen him when she arrived, but even he seemed to be staring at Elena with a little more scrutiny than normal…and that was saying something for Damon.

Wild knocking on the front door announced Jackson's arrival. "Uncle Damon!" He jumped into Damon's arms.

"Was Santa good to you this morning?" Damon carried the boy out of the entryway. Jackson nodded with wide-eyed excitement. "So, what did you get?"

"A Star Wars light saber. A blue one...just like Anakin's."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh. And I got a..." Jackson's voice trailed off as Damon took the boy into the sitting room to see the tree. "More presents!"

"Damon's good with kids?" Bonnie fought to keep the shock from her voice.

"Who would have guessed?" Elena smiled as she stepped through the doorway. "Jackson adores him, but Kennedy belongs to Stefan."

Stefan walked through the doorway with a sleeping Kennedy pressed against his chest. "Someone got an early start to the morning." Elena walked to his side and helped ease her niece's jacket off before Stefan placed her gently on the couch, building a fort of cushions around her to keep her from rolling onto the floor.

"Oh, let me see her." Elena knelt on the floor as Alaric carried in Madison's carrier. She unbuckled the restraints and carefully picked her up. "She's grown."

"She should with the amount she's eating." Jenna stepped through the doorway. "Bonnie!" She crossed the room and hugged Bonnie. "So good to see you. I don't think I've seen you in months."

"I've been pretty busy." She admitted as she watched as Elena cradled Madison in her arms while showing the baby the multi-colored lights on the tree. "One of the other social workers just had surgery, so I've had her caseload on top of mine." She looked up and noticed Stefan watching her. The little glass vial practically burned in her pocket. She knew what she had to do. "Excuse me for a second." She walked through the house until she was at Stefan's side. "Can you help me bring the presents in from my car?"

"Sure." He nodded and followed her outside, closing the door behind him.

Bonnie popped the trunk of her car open and stood behind it before reaching into her pocket. "I called Lucy, and she already had a pretty good idea why I was calling." She pulled out the tiny bottle. "You're not the first to want to do this. You need to understand that there are no guarantees. This won't cause Elena to get pregnant - you still have to time it right. For a few days, you're a little less dead than you normally are." Bonnie blushed. "Or parts of you are anyway. There should be enough in here for three tries. After that, it doesn't work anymore."

Stefan couldn't speak. He wasn't sure what he'd been thinking when he'd called Bonnie. He'd been certain she was brining him outside to tell him that it simply couldn't be done. Now, he was simply in shock.

"Stefan?"

"I understand. You have no idea..." Stefan couldn't find the right words to express himself. Instead, Bonnie was frozen under the intensity of his expression. "Thank you."

She pressed the glass bottle into his hand.


	3. Chapter 3

I've had several questions about the "pairing" in this story. This one's hard to define, but you're just going to have to trust that the "DE" writer in me does win out in the end.

This chapter is short…I know. Sorry about that, but I think it's more effective with a break. I'll post the next chapter tomorrow.

Author's note: M rating for adult content

I still don't own "The Vampire Diaries." I wish I did, though.

* * *

Stefan stared at the tiny glass bottle. For over a week, it taunted him. Made him question his course of action. Caused him to think about his decision. Was this the right thing? Should he go down this road without even a word of warning to Elena?

And then he thought about Bonnie's face when she handed him the bottle…and her comment that not even Lucy was sure if it would work. Yes, the spell was in the grimoire that Lucy guarded with her life, but they'd come across more than one instance where the story they were told wasn't exactly the truth.

He didn't want to get Elena's hopes up.

He couldn't.

He knew he was the reason the adoption agencies turned them down. Who wouldn't want to place an infant with a best-selling author? Her covers were proudly displayed in the windows of every bookstore he visited. According to Elena's agent, three different production companies were fighting over the rights to the first books in her insanely popular trilogy. If this fourth book took off, her name would likely be spoken of in the same tones writers referred to JKR.

The problem was him. He knew it. She knew it.

Compelling the social workers during interviews…no problem. By the time he and Elena left their office, every one of the women had been singing their praises. Of course he and Elena would make perfect parents.

That lasted until someone in a back office who he'd never met started tracking down his history. Stefan had done his best. High school transcript – check. Graduated with honors from the most prestigious school of architecture in the country – check.

More than one Stefan Salvatore who looked exactly alike in the worldwide web…also check. And once the first two agencies turned them down, the red flags were raised, no matter how hard he tried…they didn't all go away.

So the little room at the end of the hall that he'd so carefully designed to make sure it was absolutely perfect for Elena – and their baby – was empty. The look on Elena's face when he even suggested turning it into a library was what brought him to the here and now.

And the bottle that was practically screaming at him.

It seemed so easy on Christmas. Get Bonnie's help. Take the potion. Let Elena discover she was pregnant.

But it wasn't that easy. Funny, things never went that smoothly for them.

Elena was exhausted after hosting the family for Christmas. And then she needed to help Jenna with her brood, since Ric was still decidedly under the weather, as well as likely being permanently moved to the guest bedroom. Later, New Year's Eve was definitely the wrong time of the month to try out the precious little vial.

He didn't expect the phone call on January 2nd. Elena's agent called to let her know that she'd scheduled a book tour – leaving the next day. Meeting fans would be exactly what Elena needed to help drive out the writer's block.

Honestly, it appeared to work. When he chatted with her on Skype this morning, she seemed happier and more relaxed than she'd been in weeks. Months, if he were totally honest with himself.

He'd fought hard not to make a face when she mentioned being excited to get home to sleep in her own bed, since that wasn't exactly what he had in mind. Their bed was currently hidden right now beneath a pile of clothing he'd picked out especially for this weekend. To be honest, he doubted if Elena had worn as much silk and lace since their honeymoon.

The saleswoman at the specialty shop gave him a sly smile while she rang up his selections. Eyeing his wedding ring, she'd asked if it was his anniversary. When he told her no, her smirk hinted that she thought Elena was a very lucky girl.

He was the lucky one. He still didn't understand why Elena had stayed with him all these years. And that's why he had to take this chance.

He eyed the little glass vial like it was an unwelcome visitor at the house. For the two weeks Elena had been gone, he'd tried to pretend it didn't exist. But there it was. Sitting on the bathroom counter.

The airport shuttle turned onto the driveway. He stiffened…not sure of what she was going to think about his plan. A spontaneous trip right so close on the heels of Elena being out of town wasn't their normal routine. To be honest, he was worried she might suspect something.

A car door slammed outside, and he jumped to his feet. He took hold of the little vial and tucked it carefully into his overnight bag.

* * *

Elena had scarcely closed the door as she slid her overnight bag off her shoulder and onto the hardwood floor before she was swept up in Stefan's arms. "Mmm." Her lips pressed against his before curling into a smile. "Miss me?" She teased as he lowered her back onto her feet. Frowning, she looked into the living room. She hadn't had a chance to take the Christmas decorations down since she'd flown out on New Year's Day.

"Always." He successfully distracted her from her thoughts about the house as he whispered and placed a kiss atop her forehead. He slid his fingertips along her cheek before he tipped her chin up to look into his eyes. "I know you just got home, but I was hoping you'd be ready for one more trip."

"What did you have in mind?"

"I might have made reservations for a weekend at the Omni."

"The Omni?" Elena's eyes flashed in excitement. "What are we celebrating?"

"Well, Madison's arrival put a damper on our anniversary. And, it isn't every day my wife has such a successful book tour." He motioned for her to follow him up the stairs to their bedroom. Two suitcases sat zipped and ready atop the bed. "I've even packed."

Elena looked skeptical. "You packed for me?"

He motioned to the bag at the foot of the bed. "I think I got everything. You can check."

Without trying to hide her suspicion, she unzipped the bag. An eyebrow raised, she held up an unfamiliar black silk nightgown.

"I may have gone shopping too."

"What else is in here?" Elena started to paw through the bag, but Stefan leaned in and closed it tight.

"You'll have to wait and see."

* * *

By the time they reached their room, the twinkling lights of downtown Atlanta lit the skyline. Without turning on the lights to the room, Stefan walked to the corner window and pulled open the curtains. Elena came to stand at his side. In the distance, she could see the outdoor skating rink. "So beautiful at night."

Stefan stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Bending over, he placed a kiss at the nape of her neck. "Yes, you are."

She spun in his arms. "That's not what I meant."

Instead of answering, he slid his hands up her back and began to tease the zipper of her dress open.

"Stefan..." She reached back to stop his hands.

"We're high enough up. No one can see us." He slid the dress off one shoulder.

She shrugged out of his embrace. "I didn't mean that. If you went to all the trouble to go shopping." Her eyes glanced at her bag standing next to the door. "I might as well see what you picked out. I'll be right back." She grabbed the bag and carried it into the bathroom.

Stefan seized his opportunity. Bonnie hadn't been overly specific with the instructions. He didn't know how long the potion would last, and he didn't want to waste any of it. Reaching into his bag, her found the tiny bottle he'd wrapped so carefully before tucking it in amid his clothes. He pulled it out and opened it. As he uncorked it, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before taking a measured sip.

"Oh no!" Elena's laughter spilled through the closed door. "Please tell me you didn't buy all of this in Mystic Falls." Stefan had obviously had fun shopping, but she wasn't sure if she could ever step foot back in the store. She cracked the door open and peeked out. "Please tell me you went out of town."

"I went out of town." He nodded slowly as he tried to catch a peek at Elena. He really hoped she'd choose the green outfit.

She did.

Stefan's breath caught in his chest as she turned out the bathroom light, but he'd already seen her. The sheer green babydoll nightgown flowed softly over her narrow waist. "But it wouldn't matter if I hadn't. All Mrs. Ferris would have known was that I was a man very much in love with his wife." He stood next to Elena and slid his hands down her arms as he brought his lips to hers. He backed up until his legs brushed against the king sized bed. Carefully lowering Elena onto the bed, he reached for the clasp in the front of the nightgown. As he gently teased it off her shoulders, he trailed kisses down her arm.

"Its cold in here." Elena shivered as goosebumps rose over her exposed skin.

"Not for long." Stefan pulled the blankets up to their shoulders as he slid into the bed next to his wife. The green nightgown lay discarded - forgotten on the floor.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: I uploaded two chapters today. If you haven't read chapter three, do that before you move on to this chapter.

Thanks again for reading and reviewing!

* * *

"Ugh." Elena leaned over the sink and ran water into her cupped hands. She rinsed her mouth before spitting into the sink. Kneeling down, she pulled a washrag from the counter under the sink and ran it under the stream of cold water. As another wave of nausea hit, she crouched in front of the toilet and retched. She made a vow to herself never to attend another birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese as long as she lived - no matter how much Jackson begged.

"Are you okay in there?" Stefan tapped on the closed door.

"Do I _sound_ okay?" Her voice was sharper than she intended, but did he really have to ask? This was all she needed. First, she'd been hit by a mind-numbing bout of writer's block. Then, a two-week book tour commenced. Granted, the tour was likely what pulled her out of unusual funk…meeting fans face to face always helped her get back in her groove. Now, just when she got back in the rhythm, this hit.

She didn't have time for a stomach bug.

The doorknob rattled. _Stefan. _This was _not _how she wanted him to see her. "Go away."

"You've been in there an hour."

"I don't care." She took a breath as her stomach churned. "Just let me die in peace."

The door to the bathroom opened, but Elena didn't look up from where she leaned against the wall next to the toilet. "A little melodramatic?"

"That's what you get for marrying a writer."

"Come here." He scooped her up and carried her into the living room. "You'll feel better if you get out of the bathroom."

"That's not a good idea." She tried to fight him, but she just didn't have the energy.

"Trust me. There's nothing left in your stomach." He gently laid her down on the couch and adjusted the throw pillow under her head. "There you go." He pulled her favorite blanket over her.

"What time is it?" The last time she'd looked at the clock was when she was putting the pizza dip into the oven to get ready for the party at Jenna's. That was before her stomach decided to launch World War III.

"Almost four." Stefan glanced at the clock for an instant before turning his worry-filled eyes back on her.

But there wasn't just worry in his furrowed-brow. Something she couldn't exactly put her finger on –before she could give it much thought, she was fighting the churning of her stomach…again.

Stefan dropped to his knees and wiped her forehead. "You're going to be okay." He spoke with more confidence than she felt.

"Ugh." Elena waited for the latest round of nausea to pass before attempting the rest of her sentence. "You need to call Jenna. I'm not going to make it to the Super Bowl party." She closed her eyes and took a breath. "You can still go if you want."

His brow knit in concern. "I wouldn't go without you." He brushed her damp hair out of her face. "I'll call Jenna." He studied her pale skin. "Then, I'll run to the store and get something for your stomach. Think you'll be alright?"

Elena nodded as her eyes closed completely. He walked into the kitchen to make the call to Jenna, and when he came back into the living room he was greeted by the rhythmic breathing of Elena as she slept. If she was sleeping, she had to be feeling somewhat better. He tucked the blanket up under her chin before leaving for the grocery store.

* * *

Stefan's cart was almost full. Crackers. Ginger ale. Chicken soup. He'd almost reached the check out as he hesitated and looked down the aisle he'd been avoiding since reaching the store. The aisle he most needed to visit…the one he really didn't dare to hope they actually needed. He glanced around him - no one he knew. The store was mostly full of men buying the last of the cartons of beer before hurrying to their respective football parties. No one was in this section.

Later tonight, this section would be filled with people searching for antacid or pain-killer or something to fight off an impending hangover. Now, Stefan found himself alone with a variety of boxes he didn't totally understand.

He studied the cartons. Why hadn't he paid more attention when these commercials came on the television? Was one better than the others? Finally, he reached out and chose one with the label "can be used at any time of day."

"And what are you doing here?"

Stefan didn't need to turn around. "Elena's not feeling well."

"I figured that out for myself." Damon came to stand at his brother's side. "Ric called me to ask if I'd pick up the supplies you wouldn't be bringing." He looked into Stefan's shopping cart. "I was wondering what you were doing here." He motioned to the assortment of family planning supplies arrayed around them. "We need to talk." He nodded in the direction of the check-out stands. "Are you finished?"

Stefan nodded and followed his brother to the self-check-out area. After they'd both finished, the pair walked into the parking lot.

"What aren't you telling me?" Damon narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Stefan, don't play dumb with me." He looked at his brother - a worried expression on his face. Elena hadn't been herself lately, but he never dreamed she'd go there. "I know you and Elena have been having some...issues."

Stefan fought for control as he struggled with the implications of Damon's words. He wasn't sure if he should laugh or throttle his brother. Laughter won out. "Elena's not sleeping with anyone." His lips turned up in a grin. "At least no one she's not supposed to be."

Damon peeked into the brown shopping bag. "Then why this?" He tapped the pink and white box. "Stefan, have you forgotten one small detail of who we are?"

"No."

"Then?"

"Listen, Damon, it is a very long story. The short version is that Bonnie may have given us a little help." Damon couldn't hide the surprise on his face. Stefan continued. "I promise you that I'll explain, but I really need to get home to Elena."

Damon nodded. His brother had turned to the witches for help. Assured that his brother's relationship with Elena was alright, his concern turned to why Stefan had the other supplies in his bag. "Is Elena okay?"

Stefan frowned as he glanced at his watch. He'd been gone much longer than he'd intended. "She spent the last hour minutes in the bathroom." He didn't need to elaborate. "But, she was asleep on the couch when I left."

Damon studied his brother's face, trying to decide how to bring up the subject. "Stefan," he whispered, "you're a vampire. Don't tell me you need that to answer your question." Damon was staring pointedly into the shopping bag again. He cocked his head and raised one eyebrow.

Stefan hesitated. He leaned against his car as his thoughts came together. Until this afternoon, he hadn't allowed himself to dwell on the subject. But the changes in Elena the past few weeks couldn't be overlooked; and last week, the one time he'd allowed himself to take any of her blood since their weekend in Atlanta, he definitely sensed a change.

"Well?"

His face broke into a broad grin, "Yeah, she is."

* * *

Stefan placed his bag on the kitchen counter. Talking with Damon was one thing. How did he convince Elena to use the test?

"Does the store have anything left?" Elena walked into the kitchen and leaned against the counter.

"It was busy." Stefan thought it was best to leave out his conversation with Damon right now. He unloaded the bottles of ginger ale and poured Elena a glass. Her coloring still hadn't returned to normal. "Here."

"Why ginger ale?"

"My mother used to make ginger tea when Damon and I didn't feel well. I thought this was a good substitute." Stefan turned away and unloaded the box of crackers. He didn't often speak about his mother with Elena, and he didn't want to dwell on the past - not tonight. "Are you feeling any better?"

"A little." Elena sipped at her glass. "What else did you buy?" She looked at the variety of bottles and cans Stefan pulled from the bag. She looked confused as he pulled out the small final box. "Stefan?"

He placed it on the counter between them before taking her hands in his. "Elena, do this for me."

"What are you trying to say?" Her cheeks flushed in anger. "Do you think I would..."

"No, no, no!" He interrupted. "I did something." He slid the box in her direction. "Elena, please."

"It isn't possible." Elena shook her head as she picked up the carton. She'd given up any thoughts about having a child of her own when she chose to be with Stefan.

"Do this, for me, then I'll explain." His green eyes pleaded with her.

She'd never been able to resist when Stefan looked at her like that. Reluctantly, she took the box and went into the bathroom.

One minute.

Two minutes.

Stefan felt as if time deliberately slowed down. After what seemed to be an eternity, the doorknob twisted and Elena came out - her face tilted down to the floor. His hopes crashed around him. He shouldn't have allowed himself to even think about the possibility.

She looked up at him - tears rimming her eyes. "How?" She held out the white stick, and he was thrilled he'd chosen the "easy to read" version.

Positive.

The English language didn't have a more beautiful word.

"How?" Tears streamed freely down Elena's cheeks as she repeated her question.

"Bonnie helped. I asked her to find out if there was anything she could do to help us. And she gave me something to take. For a few hours, I was a little less dead than normal. I would have told you, but I wasn't sure if it would work. She didn't know, but she said it had been done before." He looked back at the test and then into Elena's eyes.

"This means..." Elena's words caught in her throat.

Stefan ran his hand over her smooth stomach. "We're going to have a baby."


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: Please notice that I've loaded 3 chapters in the last 24 hours. Make sure you don't accidentally skip one.

Warnings: Mature - mild language, alcohol use, adult content, character death

* * *

"This isn't funny, Stefan." Elena tugged at the zipper on the back of her dress. "Doctor Hammonds lectured me for losing 3 more pounds yesterday, why can't I get the dress to zip?"

Stefan stepped behind his wife and pushed her hand away from the zipper. Elena's morning sickness had been more a general all day and sometimes at night sickness, and she'd lost almost 15 pounds over the past several weeks. Even still, she couldn't deny the very pronounced bump that had formed seemingly overnight. "Inhale." He gave a final jerk on the zipper and pulled it closed. "Is that okay?"

"It'll have to be." She frowned, trying to unsuccessfully smooth the lump out of the front of her deep violet dress.

"Honey." He reached around her held her hands still. "There's nothing to hide. You...we are going to have a baby." His eyes met hers in the reflection of the mirror.

"I know, but today's Jeremy's day." He could tell that Elena didn't intending to be short tempered today, but over the last few weeks, he'd gotten accustomed to her mood swings. Today her emotions had to be set to high. Not only was she about to watch as her little brother married his college sweetheart, she was fairly certain to be announcing her pregnancy – without saying a word. He'd been worried when Elena been up late last night helping with the flower arrangements for the sanctuary. Why the florist's daughter had to pick last night to have an emergency appendectomy was beyond her comprehension. He knew if she was going to make it through the ceremony, she was going to have to sleep in the car during the hour-long drive.

This was about to be a very long day.

"Your brother won't mind if someone notices." He placed a kiss on her cheek, knowing full-well that it was almost impossible not to notice Elena's condition. "He's going to be happy for you, but he won't be if we're late. Hannah needs her matron of honor to actually be at the ceremony. Let's go."

* * *

Stefan pulled the car into the church parking lot and hurried to open Elena's door. He'd made it to the church in record time, thanks, in no small part to Elena sleeping almost the entire trip. Lately, her required pit stops were making even short trips take a very long time. Elena stretched and studied her reflection in the mirror - not too bad. She'd have to work on her hair once she was in the church, though.

"Someone was afraid we weren't going to make it."

She looked up and saw Jenna beckoning madly in her direction.

"Where have you been?" Jenna hurried to the side of the car. "I've been texting you every five minutes for the last half hour."

"Sorry." Elena flinched. "I must have turned my phone onto silent last night. Guess I forgot to turn it back on. I had some issues while I was getting ready." Elena held her purse in front of her as she followed Jenna into the building. "How's Hannah holding up?"

"She's not our problem. Stefan, can you go calm Jeremy down?" Jenna turned and gave Elena a meaningful glance. "Ric already sent Damon on an alcohol run."

"It isn't even noon." Elena's eyes widened in surprise.

"That really doesn't matter right now." Jenna shook her head and laughed. "Your brother was already breathing into a paper bag when I got here this morning."

"I'll go see what I can do." Stefan slid his hand down Elena's back.

"Can he compel him?" Jenna had a mildly crazed look in her eyes.

"Jenna!" Elena stared at her aunt in surprise. "That wouldn't be a good idea."

"Actually, it would be a very good idea. Have you seen Jeremy yet?" Damon walked in the glass doors carrying two small brown bags. "Drunk or compelled?"

"Neither." Elena shook her head. "Is he really that bad?"

"Oh yes. The groomsmen are taking bets on if the minister will have to break the vows into single words." He looked up as he saw Alaric walking down the hall. "I believe he's looking for this." Damon gestured with the bottles and walked to meet Alaric.

Elena hurried out of the restroom after making what she hoped was the last trip before the service started. She didn't understand how this tiny little one could already be impacting her bladder. She peeked through the glass doors to judge the size of the crowd. Despite the threat of storms later in the day, the church auditorium was almost full.

"Elena."

She turned in response to the cool, detached voice. "Uncle John." Her shoulders stiffened. "I didn't expect to see you here." Despite Elena and Jeremy's protests, he'd managed to talk Hannah's parents into receiving an invitation.

He gave a half smile. "Because you didn't want to invite me or because I didn't come to yours?"

Elena chose not to answer.

"It was very helpful to discover that I'm a member of the same country club as the Truitts. I've known Walter for years. He was appalled to find out my nephew didn't invite me to his wedding. But really, Elena, did you think I would have come to yours?" His nose wrinkled as if he were standing too close to a trash can filled with something rotten. "That would have implied I consented to what you were doing. No daughter of mine would marry someone like him."

"You lost the right to call me your daughter a long time ago." Elena began to walk toward the bridal dressing room, but Uncle Jonathan reached out and caught her arm. "I need to go."

"Not before I've had a chance to talk with you." He glanced at the diamond ring on her left hand. "I see you're still with him." He shook his head in dismay. "A condition I pray your brother will remedy on a daily basis."

"My brother likes Stefan. He's not blinded by hatred of something he doesn't understand." Elena heard the music begin to play in the sanctuary. "Please. The wedding's about to start. Don't make a scene and ruin this for Jeremy." She twisted as she tried to tug her arm free. His grip tightened on her arm.

"But we haven't finished talking yet."

A shadow sped into the foyer. "You need to let go of her." Damon looked at Elena in concern. "The processional's about to start. They're looking for you." He noticed the red welt left on her arm by Jon's grip. "And you need to stay away from Elena. You don't have one of those rings anymore. If you ever upset her again, it will be the last thing you do. Do you understand me?"

"I'm not afraid of you."

"You should be." He turned his attention to Elena's retreating form and hurried to her side. "Elena, are you alright?"

Elena nodded as she wiped her cheeks in annoyance. "I just wasn't expecting to see him today. There was a reason he wasn't on the invitation list."

"He won't bother you again. I can assure you of that."

"Thank you." For once, she was grateful Damon was the one to come looking for her. If Stefan had found her with John, they might have been making a trip to the hospital right now...or calling the local sheriff. Her heart was pounding in her chest as a wave of nausea came over her. "I'll be right back." Elena sped back into the restroom.

"Where is Elena?" Jenna raced through the hallway in barely concealed panic.

Damon nodded in the direction of the restroom. "She's going to need a minute."

* * *

Jenna opened the door to the restroom and found Elena rinsing out her mouth in the sink. She looked at her niece with pity. "You okay?"

"I wish everyone didn't keep asking me that."

"Well, since you were throwing up right before I walked in, I thought it was a fair question." Jenna handed Elena a dry paper towel to dry her face. "We're going to need to fix your makeup." She reached for Elena's purse and dug through it until she retrieved her blush. "So...when were you going to make the announcement?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Jenna was clueless for years. Why did she have to pick today to be observant?

Jenna looked knowingly at Elena's abdomen. "How far along are you?"

Elena sighed and managed a tentative smile. This obviously wasn't the time to argue. "Thirteen weeks."

"And is Stefan okay with this?" Jenna seemed to be at a loss to how to phrase the question.

"It's his baby."

Jenna couldn't have looked more shocked if Santa Claus and the Easter bunny had walked out of the bathroom stalls behind her. "And how…"

Elena cut her off. "We may have had some help from Bonnie."

"I have a feeling this is a story we need to save for later." Now it appeared that Jenna was the one who might need to be taken down to single word phrases.

"That would probably be best." Elena nodded. She still wasn't sure if she completely understood the details.

"And you haven't told anyone?" Jenna wrapped Elena in a tight hug. "What were you thinking?"

Elena sighed and shook her head. "We just wanted to make sure everything was ok first."

Jenna blazed past the reference to the supernatural. While she'd accepted her family's ties to a world she could scarcely believe existed, she preferred not to be reminded of Stefan and Damon's true identities. "And is it? Are both of you okay?"

"Aside from a record-setting case of morning sickness, I'm fine. We heard the heartbeat yesterday. You can't really tell, can you? I don't want to take away from Hannah and Jeremy's day."

Jenna stepped back and looked at Elena. "I've fixed your make up, so you're good there. Hold your flowers below your waist. And, as long as you can keep from running in here, I think you can make it through the ceremony." She pushed an errant strand of hair behind Elena's ear. "Let's go get your brother married."

* * *

Elena leaned her head against Stefan's chest as she watched Hannah circle the dance floor with her father.

"Tired?" he wrapped his hands around her waist and she relaxed into his embrace.

"A little." She couldn't take her eyes off her brother's face as he watched his wife. Elena sniffed and wiped her eyes. The music ended and Jeremy walked to the edge of the dance floor to get ready for the mother and son dance. Her throat tightened as she looked at Jenna. They'd been lucky all those years ago when Jenna gave up her life outside Mystic Falls and came home to care for them, but she still wished her mother could have been here for this moment.

"And now, please welcome Jeremy Gilbert and his sister Elena Salvatore to the dance floor." Elena looked at the DJ in shock as her brother smiled and reached out his hand to her.

"What are you doing?" Elena protested. "This is supposed to be your dance with Jenna."

"Jenna knows. I talked with her weeks ago." He placed his hand at Elena's waist. "Elena, after Mom and Dad died, I wouldn't have gotten through it without you." His eyes were full of sincerity. "I still remember that day you plowed into the guy's bathroom at school. You scared me - and everyone else who was in there at the time. I didn't live that down for months."

Elena giggled. "You deserved it."

"I know I did. That's why I wanted to say thank you. And..." He broke into a broad grin. "I believe congratulations are in order. When do I become an uncle? Come on, you didn't really think you were fooling anyone, did you?"

"I'd hoped we could." Elena felt her cheeks flush with color. "The baby's due September 24th," she admitted. "Sorry I didn't tell you before. I didn't want to take anything away from today."

"Just makes today even better. I'm not even going to ask how it happened." Jeremy laughed and glanced at Stefan. "Do you know boy or girl yet?"

Elena shook her head. "Still too soon."

Jeremy's steps on the dance floor slowed as the song came to an end. "Elena, really, thanks for always being there for me. Even when I didn't deserve it." He bent and kissed his sister's cheek before leaving her at Stefan's side.

"So, did you know about Jeremy's plan?" Elena breathed a sigh of relief as she slid the dress to the floor. She'd never take breathing for granted again. A flash of lightning lit the windows. She hoped Jeremy's flight got off on time. Hannah was really excited about their honeymoon at Walt Disney World. Elena made her promise she'd send a picture of Jeremy wearing "Groom" Mickey Mouse ears.

Stefan nodded his head as he stepped into the closet to hang up his suit jacket. "He asked me if you were feeling up to it."

"Did everyone in my family already know?" Elena was indignant.

Stefan laughed. "I think so."

"Does Damon know?"

"He knew before you did."

Elena glared at her husband. "How did that happen?" She pulled her nightgown over her head before she walked toward the bed.

"I ran into him at the store. He saw me buying the test." Stefan grinned at the memory of his brother's face when he learned he was going to be an uncle. He leaned back in the bed and Elena settled in next to him, snuggling against his chest.

"That had to be an interesting conversation."

"Trust me, it was. Why do you ask?"

"He just seemed unusually protective today." She absently rubbed her arm. Thankfully, her uncle's too-tight grip hadn't left a bruise.

Stefan's voice grew tense. "When did Damon have to do something for you?"

Elena cringed. She'd forgotten to mention her little run-in outside the bathroom. "Uncle John was there. Really, though, it's fine. I don't think he'll try anything again." She didn't want to dwell on her meeting with her uncle. She had much better things to talk about tonight, unfortunately, she was loosing the fight to stay awake. "I can't believe my brother is married." Elena closed her eyes and absently ran her fingers up and down Stefan's side. She fought back a yawn.

He reached around her back and held her close. "Its been a busy day." He kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Elena."

"I love you, Stefan." She placed a light kiss on his lips before she settled into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Stefan wasn't certain how much time had passed when he was jolted awake by a siren blared in the distance outside. The house was pitch black - the power was out. Thunder roared along with something else...

The hairs on the back of his head stood up as he listened to the roar outside. If he didn't know better, he would have been certain a freight train was bearing down on their house. He pulled a groggy Elena to her feet and practically threw her down the stairs as the noise grew louder.

"Stefan, what's going on?" Elena stumbled and tumbled down a portion of the staircase. She couldn't hide the fear and confusion in her voice. "Stefan?" The sound of the siren was lost amid the roar of the wind.

"We just need to get into the closet downstairs. Its going to be okay." Glass shattered as the downstairs windows burst in and the air filled with debris.

Elena shrieked as she was pelted by the shards of glass. A creaking and popping noise filled her ears as Stefan threw himself on top of her. They weren't going to make it to the shelter under the stairs.

"I've got you. We're going to be alright." Stefan yelled into her ear, but she was barely able to hear him. He clung desperately to her as the house collapsed around them.

Something sharp and heavy crashed into Elena's head and the world faded into black.

* * *

Author's note: So very, very sorry about the cliffhanger. (Hey, who am I kidding, no I'm not - I'm the one who put it there...) This actually turned out to be a record-settingly-long chapter for me - way beyond what I like to do with my online writing. This is actually the halfway point. I'll post the continuation of this chapter tomorrow.


	6. Chapter 6

Rating: Mature - language, violence, sensitive subject matter, character death

I still don't own TVD.

* * *

The pounding hail crashed through the bedroom window sending glass spraying into the master bedroom. Velvety blackness blanketed the room with an edge of chest-tightening foreboding. An explosion of lightening threatened to blind her, sending Jenna scurrying from the bed in alarm.

"Mommy!" Jackson's shriek echoed through the itch black interior of the house. Never one to be easily frightened, his terror stood testament to the intensity of the storm.

When they'd arrived home after a late night at the wedding festivities, the air had been unseasonably heavy and hinted at an impending storm, but she'd been too tired to even take a second glance at the weather forecast. Now she regretted her decision.

"Ric!" Jenna shook her husband's shoulder to wake him just as the storm sirens began to wail. Lightning arced across the sky - bathing the windows in an eery green light just as a branch from the ancient oak tree in the front yard came crashing to the ground.

"Daddy?" Jackson's scream was pleading...desperate. He was soon echoed by Madison's cries from her nursery.

Ric sped to action, digging a flashlight out of his nightstand and tossing it to Jenna. "Go get Kennedy. I'll get Jackson and Madison." Alaric held up his cell phone as a makeshift light. "We need to get them into the cellar." Alaric sprinted through the hallway until he was kneeling at his son's bedside. "Come on." He reached out for his son's hand. He led the boy into Madison's room as the wind rattled the windows. Ric clutched the infant to his shoulder just as the hail shattered her bedroom window. "Shit!" He flinched, not even worrying if Jenna heard him. That was far too close for comfort.

He stooped down and drew his son onto his hip - ignoring the shards of glass that now littered the nursery floor. With a child in each arm, he ran through the house and down the stairs. "Don't worry. I've got you."

The normally brave Jackson didn't hear a word he said. His son had his head buried in the crook of his shoulder, and Alaric could feel his shirt turning damp from Jackson's fear-fueled tears.

"Make it stop." Jackson hiccupped through the tears.

"We're going to be alright." Ric hoped his words were true. In all the years he'd lived in Mystic Falls, he'd never encountered a storm this intense. Another explosion echoed through the house, and he could feel the floor hum with the energy of the lightening strike.

He rounded the corner and ran through the kitchen until he met Jenna at the door to the cellar stairwell.

"Ric?" Jenna's face was stark-white with fear as a finger of lightning touched down far too close for comfort.

"Hurry." Alaric hoped Jackson's couldn't feel his heart pounding in his chest. He nodded for Jenna to go ahead of him down the stairs. He'd cursed the damp, leak-prone basement more than once. Never again. They took the stairs two at at time until Alaric pulled the door closed behind them.

"Are they okay?" Jenna smoothed Jackson's sweat-dampened hair against his forehead. In a move totally foreign to the little boy determined to follow in Damon's footsteps, he reached out to his mother as if he were a toddler again.

Alaric reached out and flicked on the emergency lantern sitting on the shelf above his head. He studied his daughter's pale smooth skin. "She's fine. Lost a window in her room, but she's not hurt." He turned his attention to Jackson. "You okay Buddy?"

Jackson attempted to nod bravely, but his quivering lip showed the intensity of his fear. "What's happening?"

"Just a storm." Jenna pulled him to her chest and kissed the top of his head. "It'll be over soon." She smiled down at Kennedy - still sleeping soundly on her shoulder. "Remind me to never let this one rely on an alarm clock."

The whine of the wind changed into a dull roar. Jenna's heart sped in her chest as she looked into Alaric's eyes with barely concealed fear.

"We'll be fine." He nodded as he looked at Jenna, desperately hoping his words were true.

* * *

The sirens had barely quieted when Damon's cell phone vibrated to life. He glanced at the clock on his bedside table. While not one to be afraid of storms, the intensity of the lightning coupled with the hail threatening to break every one of the numerous windows of the boardinghouse had ensured he'd been up for the duration of the storm. To say this latest interruption was unwelcome was an understatement.

Three o'clock._ Who the hell makes a phone call at three o'clock in the morning? _

A chill of fear seized hold of his chest. Elena. Or the baby. He scrambled for the phone, not even looking at the caller ID.

"Damon?" Liz Forbes voice crackled through the static of the connection. That was _not _who he expected to be calling. He sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey Liz. What's up?" He blinked through the fatigue. A vampire could function on no sleep, but that didn't mean he enjoyed the experience.

"I need your help. First question. Can you get out of your house?"

Damon looked out his front windows. A few tree limbs were down, but he could easily move them out of the way. "Yeah, sure."

"We've got quite a mess on our hands. Meet me at the Methodist Church?" Without waiting for a reply, Liz ended the call abruptly with a click.

More than a little puzzled, Damon slid his shoes on. _How bad could the storm have been if they were meeting in the middle of the night to clean things up? _Misery loved company. If there were a mess to clean up, he might as well pick up another couple of helpers along the way. He dialed Stefan's number - it went straight to voice mail.

Strange.

He dialed again with the same response. His brother's phone wasn't off. And it didn't seem to be busy. Surely his little brother couldn't have slept through the storm. In the century and a half he'd more or less called Mystic Falls home, he'd never experienced that violent of a storm.

He dialed the number to Ric's phone and received the same non-answer.

_The cell tower must be out._ Yeah. That was probably the problem. His initial hint of fear went away as he realized the simple answer to the problem. Both men were about to get a wake-up call. If he didn't get to sleep, then neither did they. He pulled on his jacket as he walked out the door to his car.

* * *

Driving through the streets was tricky, even for his vampire-enhanced senses. He had to weave his way through the downed power lines and branches that littered the ground. Finally, he turned onto Ric and Jenna's street. He parked his car at the curb - surveying the damage. His friend definitely had a mess of his own to deal with later in the day. All the front windows were knocked out, and the white porch swing hung at an awkward angle from a single chain.

He sped to the door and tapped a half dozen times before he was greeted by a bleary-eyed Alaric.

"Damon?"

"Damn it, Ric. It looks like a tornado hit your house."

His friend gave a laugh laced with irony as he surveyed his trees. Just hours ago, they'd been filled with the tender blossoms of early spring, now they were stripped as clean as a forest in the dead of winter. "I'm not so sure one didn't."

"Is everyone okay here?" Damon looked into the candle-lined hallway.

"Yeah, the power's just out. Why are you here?"

"Liz Forbes called. She needs help out on the west side of town. Must be some kind of mess out there. I thought I'd bring a few extra hands."

Alaric looked confused.

"Well, yours and we'll pick up Stefan on the way. We're meeting at the Methodist Church." Damon turned and started to walk back to his car. "Oh, and you might want some gloves. I don't know what we're about to get into."

* * *

The trip to the church took almost twice as long as it should have - even with a vampire behind the wheel. As they grew closer to their destination, the mood in the car turned tense. Even with just the headlights to illuminate the streets, it was easy to see that this side of town received the worst of the damage.

Broken trees lay twisted haphazardly across the road. Mattresses, sheets, the remains of furniture stood piled in ways that made it appear a giant had been playing with toy houses. Directly in front of them, what was left of a mini-van had somehow wrapped itself around a telephone pole without damaging the pole in the slightest.

"Oh God." Alaric swore under his breath as he turned in his seat to survey the damage. If the subdivision looked this bad in the darkness, Damon really didn't want to see it in daylight.

Damon tried to turn into Stefan's subdivision, but he was waved off by a police officer from a neighboring town. He pulled up next to the makeshift blockade. "My brother lives down this street."

The officer walked to the side of the car. "Sorry. Sheriff's orders. If you want to help, keep on going to the church. That's where everyone is meeting." He motioned with his flashlight in the direction of the church.

In the distance, Damon and Alaric could already see the flashing lights of assorted rescue vehicles. He pulled his car into the surprisingly full parking lot and saw Liz leaning over the back of a patrol car while pointing to a map - portable lights shining down over some type of command center.

"Where do you think you're going?" Another unfamiliar officer called out to Damon - attracting Liz's attention.

"Oh, they're ok." She squinted into the glare of the lights. "Where's Stefan?"

"One of your guys wouldn't let us go down his street." Alaric answered.

Liz couldn't hide the alarm that washed over her face. "Stefan and Elena live out here? Since when?"

"Since they moved back to town. You've been there. Out on Millsap Court - just past the school." Damon sensed Liz's fear. It was the same he'd faced when he had his prey cornered years ago. He wasn't used to seeing the sheriff afraid. "Why?"

"There's nothing left out there. Damon, I'm so sorry."

* * *

Ric wasn't sure how he'd kept up with Damon as he raced through the dark streets. Probably the only reason he'd even come close was because Damon kept stopping to pull tangled branches out of their path. He'd never seen anything like this...not really. As a history teacher, he'd seen pictures of bombed out towns, but that was always far away or in the past.

This was his town. His niece's neighborhood - or what was left of it.

He swung his flashlight from one side of another, and all he saw was a jumble of tangled wooden beams. Nothing even resembled a house. And it was so quiet, aside from the hiss from the natural gas pipelines filling the air with even more danger as the power lines crackled and snaked along the ground.

People in tattered clothing milled around the streets - dazed - wandering aimlessly as they surveyed the wreckage of their neighborhood. A family he recognized from Elena's Labor Day barbeque stumbled through the street, completely unaware of the blood seeping through their clothes.

Part of him wanted to help them. After all, that was why they were here. But a larger part of him wanted…no, needed to find Elena. Stefan should be here somewhere. Why hadn't they crossed paths with his almost-son-in-law yet?

The answer turned his stomach.

"Where is it?" Damon froze in place and spun in a slow circle. With the trees down and the houses pancaked along the ground, he had no point of reference. "Stefan?" He called out, only answered by his own echo.

Alaric pointed his flashlight down the street and was rewarded by a glint of red. Elena's car sat upside down against a pile of debris. "Over there." Damon disappeared from view in a blur.

"Stefan!" Damon raced up the stone pathway toward their house. "Elena?" He knelt down amid the debris and started tossing it aside.

Not even knowing where to start, Alaric began to dig through the opposite corner of the house. "Elena...Stefan?" Alaric's shoulder bumped against the plumbing from the downstairs bathroom.

* * *

Damon's finely tuned senses picked the unmistakable scent of blood. A lot of it. In other circumstances, the scent hanging in the air would be tantalizingly inviting, but only one human lived in this house.

"_Elena!" _His cry was feral…desperate. Without a single twinge of hunger, he felt himself losing his grip of his carefully-crafted mask of control. His desperation threatened to unleash the monster he hid within himself. Damon stepped through the insulation and sheetrock until he was standing well in the center of the house. The scent was stronger here, enveloping ever breath he took. He was close.

If Elena was the one bleeding…and he had no doubt as to the owner of the blood…where was his brother? Stefan should be tearing the house apart. The total and complete lack of movement or noise was beyond unnerving. It was like watching a horror movie in the theater when the soundtrack ends abruptly. Every nerve stood on edge waiting for the cry as the horror would pounce in front of you.

But now, the horror was here. Surrounding him. Filling him with an ever-deepening sense of dread.

"_No_."

It wasn't exactly a word.

Alaric breathed the sound of dread. Damon wasn't even certain if his friend knew he'd spoken.

But the noise summoned his attention. Alaric stood not quite a arm-span away from him, holding the flashlight out in front of him, the beam of light cutting through the ever-lightening-darkness.

Damon couldn't tell what part of the house they were standing in. From the crushed family photographs and the thin ribbon of carpet, he'd guess the staircase. "What did you…." His words choked in his chest.

Under the fragmented beams of wood - stacked like a child's game of pick-up-sticks - his brother's ring glinted in the light. "Stefan." His voice caught in his throat. "No. No!" Damon's scream tore through the darkness. Stefan's hand was gray, still, and wrapped tightly around Elena's arm. In the span of a breath, everything in Damon's century and a half plus life turned on end.

His brother was gone.

Alaric remained frozen, not comprehending the sight. As Damon peeled the boards away, the splintered beam piercing Stefan's back came into view.

"Stefan, no." Damon pried his brother's lifeless fingers from Elena's arm. Elena shifted and moaned as she was jostled. "Elena." Blood poured from a wound in her head as Alaric joined Damon in digging her out of the rubble. Damon put his grief aside as he focused on Elena. Her left arm hung at an unnatural angle, and her breathing was fast and shallow. Soon, they'd pulled her free, and Damon gently cradled her in his arms as he carried her in the direction of the rescue vehicles.

* * *

Jenna paced the waiting room of the intensive care unit with Madison asleep on her shoulders. She'd received the call from Alaric hours ago; and, after the initial meeting with the hospital staff, she'd been left alone to deal with her worry mixed with grief. Thankfully, her neighbor agreed to come watch Kennedy and Jackson so she didn't have to deal with them at the hospital. She toyed with her cell phone in her pocket, not sure what to do. Jeremy needed to know, but what should she tell him?

The door to the waiting area creaked open, and she fell into Alaric's arms.

"How's Elena?"

Jenna shrugged her shoulders. "No one has told me anything." She looked up and was surprised to see Damon standing in the darkened hallway. "Damon, I'm..." Her eyes welled with tears as she struggled for words. The shock and grief evident on his face made words meaningless.

"Mrs. Saltzman?" A doctor walked into the full waiting area. "Can you come with me?" He led the way to a small room with two couches and low table. A bowl of wilted flowers was the only ornament in the sterile room.

Jenna reached for her husband's hand as she took a seat on the couch. Damon hung back and leaned in the doorway.

"Excuse me, this is a meeting for family only." The tired doctor attempted to dismiss Damon.

Alaric cleared his throat and frowned at the doctor. "Damon is family."

The doctor absently shuffled through a manila chart. "I'm Doctor Harris." He reached out and shook Jenna and Alaric's hands. "Your niece is out of surgery." He paused and took a deep breath. "Mrs. Salvatore lost a lot of blood, and she has a concussion among a variety of other injuries. She woke up briefly in the recovery room - that's a good sign."

Damon swallowed thickly. "How's the baby?"

"That's still too early to tell. She's been through a major shock." He shuffled in his seat. "She's asking about her husband. I told her you'd be back in a few minutes to talk with her. She doesn't remember what happened." He reached out and shook Jenna's hand. "I'll be back to check on her later. You can go see her, but keep the visit short."

Jenna wiped silent tears from her cheek. "What should we tell her about Stefan?"

"The truth." Damon spoke up. "She'll know if we're lying to her."

"Can we do that?" Alaric asked Dr. Harris. Damon studied his friend's face. He appeared to have aged a decade overnight.

"I'll write orders for the nurse to give her something to keep her calm before you go in." Dr. Harris stood and began writing in the chart.

Jenna stood and handed Madison to Alaric. She took a deep breath and gripped the back of the chair with trembling fingers. "I'm the one who told her that her parents were gone." She chewed her lip. "Oh God."

"I'll do it." Damon locked eyes with Jenna. He turned and made his way through the hall. A nurse nodded in his direction as she came from the door labeled with Elena's name.

"Don't stay too long." She cautioned him. "She won't be able to stay awake for a long conversation."

Nodding, he hesitantly pushed the door open.

Elena lay almost still in the center of her bed. The television was off - unplugged from the wall. The hospital staff was serious about keeping her in the dark about what happened. Her right hand worried the top blanket across her chest. At the sound of the door, she managed a weak smile that fell when she realized it was Damon.

"Damon?" Her face clouded with confusion and fear. "Where's Stefan? Is he still out helping? Why isn't he here? He should be here. I know he'd be worried about the baby. They won't tell me anything." Her words tumbled out like an over-excited child's on Christmas morning. But she wasn't happy. She was afraid.

Without saying a word to her, he could already sense her fear. She knew her husband. Knew him as well as anyone truly knew Stefan. He would have moved heaven and earth to be here at her side.

And the fact he wasn't here…that was enough to send her spiraling into sheer terror.

Damon slid the single chair in the room close to her bedside. He looked down at her arms - purple handprints still visible on her upper arms. How hard had Stefan held her to keep her sheltered so carefully under him?

She spoke more insistently, her voice trembling as badly as Jenna's hands had been shaking in the waiting room. "Damon. Why isn't Stefan here?" She narrowed her eyes at him as her breathing sped.

"Sweetheart." He reached out and gently brushed her hair from her face. Her brown eyes searched his, and a flash of understanding went between him. The terror in her eyes told him she knew, but he had to say it anyway. He spoke the words he'd never thought he'd have to say. "Stefan's gone."

* * *

Author's note (2010): My college degree is in earth science, and I've taking numerous meteorology courses. It is AMAZING what tornadoes are capable of doing. I've based the damage in this chapter on the actual F-5 tornado that struck Jarrell, TX in 1997. The winds were so extreme, foundations of houses were left with no traces of the original structures and streets were stripped of asphalt - leaving only dirt behind. The damage to Stefan and Elena's neighborhood is actually more along the lines of an F-4 tornado, though.

I know the likelihood of a beam from the house landing directly in the center of Stefan's back is somewhat questionable, but I'm writing in a world where there are daywalking rings, vampires, werewolves, and Gilbert-rings-of-undeath. Had Stefan not been intent on protecting Elena, I do believe he could have saved himself with his reflexes, but, his priority was keeping his wife and unborn child safe. Stefan is my favorite character from the books, and killing him in this manner was really hard for me. However, I wanted to write a story where Damon could end up with a believable (to me) relationship with Elena. In my TVD world, that could only happen with Stefan's death (or a plot twist I'm not seeing yet.)

Author's note (2014): Wow, there have been a lot of changes on the show since this fanfic was originally written. Back then, I didn't see how Elena would ever…or could ever truly choose Damon over Stefan without something happening to Stefan first.

Now we've been shown a much darker side of Stefan…one that really makes me question his suitability for Elena, and I'm not simply talking about his "ripper" tendencies. This was written before he showed his abusive tendencies…or his willingness to try to drive her off Wickery Bridge…or any number of reasons that "show" Stefan just hasn't lived up to the character we were introduced to so early in the show.

That being said, I'm not certain this story could ever have been written "now." I doubt I would ever have paired Elena off with Stefan – at least not in marriage. But, when this was originally published on FF, I was far fonder of Stefan than I am at the present.

Thanks for reading the author's note that was almost as long as the chapter. I appreciate all my readers – and I love reading your reviews.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's note: Just checking...nope, I still don't own TVD.

Thanks for reading (and marking this story as a favorite). It is always nice to know people are enjoying it as much as I am.

-N.E.P.

* * *

The warm spring wind ruffled the hem of Elena's black skirt - borrowed from Jenna - like everything else Elena was wearing. The unfamiliar clothing combined with the haze from the pain medication made the afternoon seem not quite real. Without the breeze blowing tendrils of her hair onto her face, she would have been sure all of this had been a bad dream - a nightmare. If she could simply force herself awake, she'd find herself safe in Stefan's arms.

But it wasn't a dream.

Stefan would never hold her again.

She simply had to look around to remind herself of the truth. Brown, freshly turned mounds of earth dotted the blanket of green grass of the cemetery. Stefan's funeral was the last in the town's period of mourning ... the 15 who died during the storm caused the town's largest loss of life since the Battle of Willow Creek.

A bee buzzed the flowers atop the deep brown casket. Hollow...like Elena felt inside. Damon promised her he'd make sure the coffin didn't stay empty, but it hadn't been safe to let anyone see Stefan's body. Instead, he'd simply been listed as missing. By the time she'd been released from the hospital, he was listed as presumed dead. Now, she was forced to sit here as the assembled crowd lamented an empty box.

Earlier that morning, Elena said her real goodbye. Damon reluctantly took her to the edge of the shallow creekbed - a pile of discolored earth the only trace of his work. She'd dropped to her knees in overwhelming grief. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. She wasn't supposed to outlive Stefan. During their many discussions of her mortality and how to disguise his lack of aging, the possibility of Stefan dying had never once been mentioned.

As she knelt there, the cold sank into her legs until they'd gone to sleep. Elena hadn't noticed. She'd felt asleep since the first rumble of thunder from the storm. Her doctor assured her she'd feel better soon - she was foggy because of the pain medicine. She wasn't sure. Stefan was the one who'd woken her up years ago. Now he was gone, and a part of her went with him.

Lost in her thoughts, Elena hadn't noticed the droning words of the minister had ended until Jeremy was cautiously pulling her feet and guiding her forward. She unsteadily walked past Damon as he stood sentry at the edge of her row of seats. The past two weeks hadn't been easy on Elena, but it seemed as if he was always there - watching for signs she was in trouble. As she approached the edge of the hole, she reached out and dropped a single red rose onto the casket.

Click.

Elena flinched at the sound of the camera in the distance. The tragic story of the young man sacrificing himself for his wife and unborn child was the stuff journalists dream of, and the story was quickly picked up by major news outlets across the country. From the time she was released from the hospital, she'd been aware of her almost constant scrutiny. As she turned to walk back to her seat, she was greeted by a sea of faces - most unfamiliar. It was too much. The faces swam in front of her just as she felt a hand grip her waist.

* * *

"Elena?" Damon brushed the hair away from her face – carefully avoiding the line of stitches half-hidden by her hair. "Come on, Elena. Stay with us."

Elena blinked as she looked around, surprised to find herself sitting in Damon's car. As the world around her came into focus, she frowned as she realized what must have happened.

"How are you feeling?" Jenna knelt on the ground next to the open car door. Elena leaned over - holding her head in her good hand.

Jeremy jogged to the side of the car. "Here." He handed a water bottle to Jenna who passed it to Elena.

"That'll be on the front page." Elena grumbled as she rubbed her face.

"No it won't." Damon's voice was low, threatening. Elena looked up in surprise. She hadn't heard _that _Damon in years. The rumble in his voice would stop anyone in their tracks. "We made sure of that." He nodded to the knot of people clustered protectively around the car.

For the first time, Elena really saw those who stood around her.

Alaric.

Bonnie.

Caroline.

Matt..._Matt_? She looked at Matt in surprise. She hadn't expected to see him today. He was in his dress uniform. How many strings had he pulled to make the trip?

Sheriff Forbes and two deputies stood a short distance away. No one was getting close to Elena.

"Thank you." Elena sighed with relief. She didn't want to know how they were sure the pictures were gone, but with two vampires, a witch and an overly protective brother working together...she believed them. Elena tried to stand, but Jeremy pushed her back down.

"Not so fast. Drink that and then we'll see if you're ready to move."

Elena stared at the lid on the water bottle until Jenna realized the problem. She reached out and opened the lid before handing the drink back to her niece. Elena took a hesitant sip before she looked up at Matt. "I didn't see you earlier."

"I'm sorry. My flight was late." He hesitantly gave her a crooked grin. "I may have broken a few traffic laws to get here."

Elena pushed herself off the seat. Jeremy tried to stop her, but her glare froze him in his tracks. "I'm fine." She leaned against the body of the car. "Thank you for coming, but you didn't have to."

"Yeah, I did. You were here for me with Vickie and then with my mom. I'm just sorry I didn't make it sooner. I wish I could have helped you with all...this." He thrust his hands into his pockets. "If the story hadn't been in the news, I'm not sure if my commanding officer would have let me come, though. I told him you were like my sister, so he gave me today off."

"I'm glad you're here."

Matt carefully wrapped her in his arms, mindful of her sling. "I wish I could be here longer. Are you going to be ok?" He studied her with his vibrant blue eyes.

Elena nodded, despite her eyes stinging with tears. "I'll be alright." She sniffed. "How's Kirsten?"

"She's good...great." He stepped away from Elena and looked at her rounded stomach. "Due about the same time you are, I think."

"That's great news. Really." She leaned heavily back against the car and stifled a yawn. "Are you coming back to Jenna's with us?"

"No. I can't." He shook his head. "I have to be back on base by 5." He noticed her face becoming more and more pale. "I think you need to sit down before you fall down. You should listen to your brother." He took her hand and guided her into the seat of the car. He leaned down next to her. "I'm sorry about Stefan. He was my friend too." He squeezed her hand before he shut the door.

* * *

The sun mercifully began to set on what was, without question, the longest day of Damon Salvatore's life. If he'd ever doubted Rose's advice about being unable to flip the switch back to off, those reservations were long gone by now. He wasn't sure which hurt more - grieving for his brother or watching Elena try to function.

He slammed his car door closed as he stepped onto what once was the front lawn of Stefan's house. Scarcely paying attention to the debris still littering the ground, he walked until he was in the center of the remains of the house.

Only then did he allow himself to loose control. He welcomed the change as he gave himself over to his true self. Picking up a plank from the house, he let out a primal scream as he threw the beam as hard as he could. "Why?" He dropped to his knees. "Why?" He regained his human facade as he allowed the tears he'd kept hidden to flow.

Behind him, a car slowed to a stop. Damon heard a door close and wasn't surprised when footsteps stopped behind him.

"Damon?"

"What are you doing here, Ric?" Damon didn't turn to face his friend.

"I followed you." Alaric admitted. "You had to let it out sometime."

"Afraid I was going to go on a rampage and wipe out half the town?" Damon slowly turned around to face Alaric.

"No." Alaric shook his head. "That's not you anymore. We both know that, but I thought you might need someone to talk to."

"Why?" Damon's voice cracked as he looked around him. Out of all the houses in the neighborhood, Stefan and Elena's was the only one completely leveled. They'd spent hours here over the past few days, only to discover absolutely nothing was salvageable. The observers from the weather service couldn't believe Elena made it out alive. Without Stefan's sacrifice, they would have buried two Salvatores today. "I know why Stefan did it, but why did he have to?"

Damon kicked a brick and sent it sailing into the dim evening light. "For 150 years, I made his life a living hell - just like I promised him. Every time he had a hint of happiness, I came in and destroyed it." He picked up another beam and sent it sailing. "I did it all because I hated him for what we'd both become." He kicked the side of the refrigerator, leaving it more deeply dented than before. "When he just wanted us to be brothers...together." His voice cracked again and he fought harder for control. When he spoke again, his words were a whisper. "And we finally were." He bent over and braced his hands against his legs.

Alaric carefully made his way to Damon's side and rested his hand on his shoulder. "I don't know why. At least it ended this way, though. When my brother died, we weren't speaking to each other. I never got to make things right between us." He took a deep breath. "I know you feel alone now, but you aren't." Alaric gave a hesitant laugh. "When I met you, I never thought I'd say this, but you're part of our family. Jackson's worried about you. Jenna and I...we're here for you." He paused. "Just like I know you're going to be there for Elena. She needs someone, Damon. She's not going to get anywhere by running."

"I know." He was an expert in running from your past.

"She already left with Caroline this afternoon, but she's only staying with her for two weeks. I thought her publicist was insane for scheduling two book tours so close together, but now it's a blessing. Even though she'll be busy, I'm still worried about her. She doesn't need to be alone."

Damon's icy blue eyes stared intently at Alaric. "She won't be."

* * *

Author's note: I have to admit, even I'm getting mired down in all this angsty-ness. So, we won't be following Elena on her book tour (or watching Damon watch Elena while on the tour). In a nutshell, Damon's going, but he's just following her to make sure she's ok. She doesn't know he's with her.

When we come back (in tomorrow's update), several months will have passed. Hope you don't mind, but these chapters have really taken a lot out of me to write.


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry for the delay. Our house is on the market, and yesterday we had back to back showings for hours…I couldn't get to a computer.

* * *

"Elena!" Mrs. Lockwood placed the platter of sliced watermelon on the picnic table before she rounded the table to embrace the younger woman. "So good to see you! When did you get back in town?"

"A few days ago." Elena juggled the container of brownies she carried. "I've been staying with Bonnie, but my doctor said I had to move back closer to Mystic Falls." She skirted around Mrs. Lockwood to place her contribution to the Mystic Falls Labor Day picnic with the other desserts.

"Elena!" Sheriff Forbes called out from across the pavilion. "Caroline told me you were moving back. You look..."

"Huge." Elena suggested. "You can say it."

"No." Liz shook her head as she looked at Elena. "You look wonderful."

"Thanks." Elena pulled her ponytail over her shoulder. She blushed as she looked down at her sleeveless red top she was wearing over denim shorts. "I'm running out of clothes that fit."

"We've all been there. At least you have a good excuse." Mrs. Lockwood smiled and handed Elena a glass of lemonade. "How much longer do you have?"

Elena smiled broadly. "Three weeks."

"And why were you carrying anything?" Mrs. Lockwood frowned as she ushered Elena toward a folding lawn chair. "Where are Jenna and Alaric?"

"They're coming. I brought my own car. There's not room for six in theirs."

"Well, I don't want to see you lifting another thing." Mrs. Lockwood looked sternly at Elena.

"Alright. I won't." Elena laughed.

Liz pulled a chair up next to Elena's. "Caroline said this book is doing well."

"It is." Elena took a drink of lemonade. She'd never remembered the Labor Day picnic being this hot before - maybe she should have insisted on going house hunting instead of coming to the annual picnic. "Number four on the bestseller list - not that I'm keeping track."

"And when does the next book come out?"

"Last week of May, I think. They're wanting to time it to coincide with summer vacation."

"Are you working on anything right now?" Liz spoke with the intensity of someone try to desperately avoid the elephant in the room. While Elena had little doubt that Liz's concern was real, she also could tell that Liz didn't want to ask _the _question - the question that seemed to buzz in everyone's head now that she'd returned to Mystic Falls.

_How are you doing?_

No mention of Stefan.

No whisper of his name.

No reference to him at all, but it was still far too easy to understand the depth of the question. How was she surviving?

Barely.

Painfully.

To be honest, even Elena wasn't sure. In the first few days, Elena considered getting dressed to be a major accomplishment. And there were far too many days that she didn't even get a gold star for effort. If the publisher hadn't supplied her with an assistant for the duration of the book tour, she probably would have just stayed locked I her hotel room.

Which is where she wanted to be right now. Well, not her hotel room, but the spare bedroom at Jenna's was pretty close.

Liz's eyebrows were standing at awkward attention. Elena had pushed the sheriff's panic button. _Think. _She asked you a question….something about a next book.

Elena shook her head. "Not really. The publisher has a few ideas for me, but I'm not too happy with them. I think I need a little time off."

The tension in Liz's face relaxed. Elena patted herself on the back. Small talk. She could manage small talk.

She'd had a conference call with her agent on Friday. Her publisher wanted a different type of paranormal romance this time - a vampire story. For now, that struck a little too close to home. She told Val she'd think about it, but she was really just hoping to put it off long enough till they'd passed the idea onto someone else.

"Lay - na!" Kennedy toddled to Elena's side "Up!" Kennedy tugged at Elena's shirt.

"Are we really trying this again?" Elena reached down and gripped her niece. "There's no room, remember?" She struggled to pull the chubby toddler onto her lap, but since she only had a few inches between her belly and her knees, Kennedy slid right back off.

"Again." Kennedy spoke with the authority of a child accustomed to getting her way.

"Here goes." Elena rolled her eyes as she began to pull Kennedy onto her lap.

"Elena!" Jenna's voice carried through the pavilion. "Were you or were you not told by your doctor to stop lifting anything heavier than a loaf of bread?" Jenna stood in front of Elena's chair with her arms folded.

"Busted." Elena whispered in Kennedy's ear.

"Is everything alright Elena?" Liz looked at Elena in alarm.

"Everything's fine."

Jenna should never play poker. Her glare could have stopped a charging elephant in its tracks. "As long as we don't want to turn this into a literal labor day, you've got to stop picking her up."

"Have you tried to explain this to your daughter?" Elena looked down at Kennedy who was giving her best attempt at a puppy dog pout. If her lower lip stuck out much farther, a bird could use it for a roost.

"I've got her." Damon swept in and scooped up Kennedy. Just like every minute she'd been back in Mystic Falls, Damon was there exactly when she needed him - from when she was unloading her suitcase to when she was overwhelmed by memories in the midst of the grocery store. Seriously? Who cries in the bread aisle?

Damon flashed his signature smile, and Kennedy melted. "Want to go swing?" He hoisted Kennedy onto his shoulders and backed toward the swings. "You," he nodded to Elena, "listen to your aunt."

"I think I'll go see if anyone needs any help with anything." Liz stood and walked toward the barbeque grills.

"Elena, I'm serious." If only Damon could distract Jenna as quickly as he caught Kennedy's attention.

"I know." Elena shook her head and looked at the ground. "I wasn't thinking, and I really didn't lift her that far. I was sitting down." This not-quite-bedrest sucked. She wasn't an invalid…if only she could convince her aunt that she was fine.

"Don't worry about it." Jenna studied Elena's face for any signs of discomfort. "I know she's hard to say no to, but you're going to have to learn how to do it."

Elena stood up.

"What's wrong?" After spending all Friday night in the hospital trying to stop Elena's early labor, Elena could tell Jenna was more than a little jumpy.

Elena held up her empty cup. "I just drank too much. I'll be right back." Elena tossed her cup in the trash can as she stepped out of the picnic area. Elena hadn't wanted to come to the picnic, and she could tell that Jenna knew it. Seeing so many familiar faces - too many people asking thinly veiled questions trying to find out how she was doing but not really wanting to ask - Elena was struggling to keep in control. It probably was better this way, though, getting it all out of the way in one swoop instead of constantly running into former neighbors and friends as she went about her days.

As she made her way back to the covered picnic area, Elena hesitated. Families were seated around the picnic tables. High schoolers mixed with college students on the basketball court. Her few unmarried friends clustered together in the parking lot. Where did she belong?

"How are you holding up?" Elena hadn't heard Damon as he walked up behind her. Kennedy's cheeks were pink and her hair was damp with sweat. "If she's this hot, you can't be very comfortable."

"I'm not." Elena admitted - well aware of the potential double meaning. She pulled her ponytail off the back of her neck. She looked at her car, hopelessly blocked in from the others who arrived after her. Why had she gotten here so early?

"Want me to drive you back to Jenna's?" Damon seemed to read her mind. "Or we could go see just how badly Ric burned the hamburgers this year."

The smell of slightly singed meat blew in their direction, and Elena's stomach growled loudly. "I think my stomach decided for me." She laughed and rolled her eyes.

"After you." Damon shifted Kennedy to his hip as he brushed his free hand lightly across Elena's back while guiding her in the direction of the pavilion. The pair walked together until Damon passed Kennedy to Jenna. "You." He pulled an empty folding chair to Jenna's side and looked meaningfully at Elena. "Sit. I'll take care of you." He took his place in line and juggled both their plates. After a few minutes, he returned and held a plate in front of Elena. "No pickles."

"Thanks, Damon." She balanced her plate on her belly.

Damon pulled up a rolling cooler and used it as a chair. "Need anything else?"

"Nope. I'm good." She bit into her burger as Damon pulled her feet up next to him on the cooler. He looked suspiciously at her swollen ankles.

"I was hoping you'd be here!" Bonnie came up behind Elena and wrapped her arms around her neck. "I still think you'd be fine sharing my apartment."

"Tell that to my doctor." Elena shook her head. "Oh! Careful!" Elena grabbed her plate before it tumbled to the floor. "I didn't know you were coming."

Bonnie looked over her shoulder and whispered down to her friend. "I thought I'd get this over with." She reached back and took the hand of the tall, dark-skinned young man standing behind her. "Have you met Kasen?"

Elena blushed. "Actually, I have."

"Really?"

Kasen shifted uncomfortably back and forth. "Umm hmmm." He suddenly found the ground very interesting.

Elena pulled Bonnie down and whispered into her ear. "Hard to forget someone you met while coming out of the shower." She took a drink of her lemonade and tried to regain her composure. "Nice to see you again."

* * *

"You met him walking out of the shower?" Damon didn't even try to hide his laughter.

Elena had really tried to block that memory from her mind. For once, she prayed that this wasn't "the one" for Bonnie. She didn't think she could handle having to interact with Kasen on a regular basis. "He was coming in as I was walking out. I don't know why he hadn't heard the water running."

"I'd wondered why you'd moved out of Bonnie's place."

"Well, now you know." Elena wanted to move on from this topic of conversation. She leaned her head back and enjoyed the breeze from the air conditioner. "Will you help me get my car later?"

"You'll have it back by tonight." He held out his hand. "Keys?"

Elena reached down and dug through her purse. She dropped them into Damon's waiting hand. "Thanks." She closed her eyes and quickly nodded off.

"Any time." He brushed a strand of hair out of her face. No matter what she said, he knew today had been difficult for her. Jenna told him that Elena hadn't been sleeping - whether it was from the baby's position or emotional strain didn't really matter. On Friday, the doctor told them her blood pressure was too high. If it got any higher, they were going to have to consider taking the baby early. He was going to do everything he could to keep the tiny Salvatore safely in place.

Elena shuffled back to her bed, annoyed. Six trips to the bathroom in a single night? She glared down at her belly. Could the little one possibly find a place other than Elena's bladder to place her pointy body parts? She looked at the clock.

6:03

That was a respectable time to get up, wasn't it? She peeked over her shoulder and saw the faintest hint of pink in the sky. After thinking for a minute, she stood back up and walked to the closet. She tugged on her clothes and peered at the floor to find a matching pair of flip flops. Sliding them on, she hoped they matched, she couldn't see her feet to check.

Elena tiptoed out the door, careful not to wake Madison in the room next door. She went downstairs and wrote out a note for Jenna before she picked up her purse and left the house.

As she got into her car, she knew Jenna wouldn't be pleased with where she was going, but her time was running out. She drove along the once-familiar streets until she turned onto the main road of her former subdivision.

The construction crews were already out. They were obviously trying to beat the late summer heat.

At the end of the road stood her house. Well, it wasn't actually _her_ house anymore. She'd put it on the market before the repairs even started. The insurance company had already contracted with a builder to rebuild it, so it looked almost exactly as she remembered it.

Her breath caught in her chest, but she pulled her car to a stop in front of the house. She quietly shut the car door, leaving her purse in the floorboard and made her way up the driveway until she was standing in the backyard.

She'd made it.

The sunrise was at its peak on the horizon as she stood in the yard. A cool front had blown through overnight, and fog had settled into the little valley below. They'd picked this lot because of the view. She just wanted to watch the sunrise once more before the house truly belonged to someone else.

Elena wasn't sure how long she'd been standing there, but the sun had risen fully when she heard someone walking up behind her.

"Jenna was going insane trying to find you." Damon looked more than slightly relieved.

"I left her a note." Elena turned to face him.

"But you weren't answering your phone."

Elena patted her pockets. "I guess I left it in the car." She started to walk back to her car. "I'll go call her."

"No." Damon shook his head. "I already let her know I'd found you."

They stood together in silence as they watched the fog blowing through the trees. Elena's lips curled into a smile. A family of deer came out of the trees and approached the stream.

"I was hoping I'd see them." Elena didn't fight the tears as they flowed down her cheeks. "They always came out while we were having our coffee." She'd lost count of the times they sat on the back patio and had their coffee after she'd finished her breakfast. One of the stones was uneven, and Elena always had to walk around it or she'd stumble and spill her cup. Stefan swore that Damon laid the stone on purpose just to make life interesting, but Damon insisted the crooked stone was part of the section Stefan had done.

"I always knew where to find the two of you in the mornings. Even in the coldest weather, you'd be out here." He walked onto the patio and ran his foot along the stonework until he found one stone darker than the others. "I really did make it uneven on purpose." He looked thoughtfully at the ground. "I knew it would drive Stefan crazy. I was surprised he never fixed it."

Elena shook her head. "He knew you did it." She bit her lip. "I think he just kept it like that to remember all the work the two of you did."

"You're going to miss it here."

Elena swallowed thickly. "I already do."

Damon motioned toward the back door with his head. "Do you want to see if we can get inside? One last time..."

"Its probably locked."

"Maybe not." He walked to the door and smiled when the knob turned in his hand. He stepped inside and flicked on the light.

Elena hesitantly followed and was quickly overcome by the memories. The house was almost exactly identical - only a few colors were different here and there. She stepped into the breakfast area, careful not to leave footprints on the deep cherry hardwood. She continued into the kitchen and ran her hands along the speckled granite countertops. She looked over the counters and stared into the living room. Instead of carpet, the new occupants had chosen hardwood. She'd always said that was the one thing she'd change if she built the house again. Being so close to the kitchen, the carpet in the living room always looked as if it needed to be cleaned.

She passed through the walkway leading out of the kitchen and stood in the dining room - lobster red walls with bright white chair rail. She hoped they liked the red because nothing would ever cover that paint color...she knew that from experience.

Damon followed behind at a respectful distance. Elena ran her hands up the bannister as she walked upstairs. He noticed that she avoided looking into the master bedroom. Instead, she continued down the hall to her former office.

"This is a better color for this room. I like it." Elena leaned against the French doors. She'd painted it a deep green, hoping for an elegant look, but it made the room seem too small. The deep tan was a far superior choice.

Finally, she had the courage to peek into the last room in the upstairs hallway. She'd just started looking at baby furniture before everything happened. Helping with Jeremy's wedding had kept her so busy that she hadn't had time for it before. In the time that had passed since then, she hadn't had the heart to go shopping without knowing where the crib would go.

Damon stood in the doorway as Elena walked into the room. He studied her expression as she noticed the single piece of furniture in the entire house.

"I don't understand." Elena crossed the room and stood next to the glider. She ran her fingers over the cream cushions.

"Caroline was with you the day you'd went shopping."

"But?" Elena couldn't decide what she was trying to ask.

"You didn't really want to sell the house." Damon guided her to sit in the glider.

"But I already did. I signed the papers. It's done."

"You sold the house to me. Stefan was right. You're horrible at reading contracts." He paused and let his words sink in. "If you still want it, it's yours."

"You bought my house?"

"Elena," he stroked her cheek. "I know you. You didn't want to sell the house. You wanted to make everything that happened go away. Leaving the place you loved wasn't going to solve anything. It was only going to make you more sad. I couldn't bring Stefan back, but I could keep you from making this mistake."

Tears were flowing freely down her cheeks now. Tears she'd been holding in for months. She reached out to Damon, and he pulled her head onto his shoulder. He held her as she gasped for breath - finally releasing the sadness she'd fought for so long. "It just hurts so much."

"I know, Elena, I miss him too." Damon pulled her closer to him and held on as if his life depended on it. "I know." He whispered into her ear.

"I just don't know if I can do it." Her words were barely understandable. "I can't do this alone."

"You won't." He stroked her cheek as blue eyes met brown. "I promise you. You will never be alone."


	9. Chapter 9

Elena slowly regained control of herself and sat up in the chair. Wiping her cheeks with her hands, she took a deep breath. "What would you have done if I said I didn't want to move back here?"

"Real estate's a decent investment. I could sell it." Damon held her hands in his and looked earnestly at her. "But I knew that you would want it. You just had to wait until you were ready." He stood and pulled her to her feet. "Come on, you haven't finished the grand tour." He dropped her hand while walking from the room and in the direction of the closed door at the end of the hall. Reaching out, he turned the doorknob and swung the door open, and then he stood back and let Elena go through the door first.

She squared her shoulders and stepped into the room. As she opened her eyes, she looked around the room - ready for the flood of memories to hit. Here, she and Stefan had shared their most intimate moments, and she wasn't sure if she was truly ready to deal with those reminders. Instead, though, she blinked in surprise. This was her room, but it wasn't.

Along the outside wall where their bed once sat was a deep window seat was flanked on either side by tall narrow windows. Even if she wanted to place her bed in its former position, she wouldn't be able to without blocking the sitting area. "This is almost the old bedroom." She sat on the bench and looked out the window. "But I like the change." She could easily look outside and see the woods and stream behind her house.

Damon motioned toward the bathroom, and Elena was overcome by curiosity. Toffee-colored tile covered the floor and the wall behind the glass-walled shower. An immense bathtub dominated the main corner of the room. "A jet tub?" She took a closer look.

"Caroline insisted." Damon admitted. "She did most of the decorating."

Elena nodded. "That explains my office. She never liked the green in there."

"One more thing to see."

Elena followed Damon down the stairs and around the corner. He led her through the door into the garage and reached for a light. This part of the house definitely wasn't finished. Piles of sheetrock were stacked in the middle of the room, and the insulation and wiring were both still exposed. He stood next to a door she didn't remember having before. "Go on."

She looked inside, but wasn't sure what it was.

"It's a safe room." He knocked on the wall, and the metallic ring echoed through the garage. "The walls are steel. They're thick enough nothing - or no one - can get to you if you lock yourself in there."

Elena ran her hand up the doorframe. As much as she wanted to believe it, she knew this wouldn't have saved Stefan. They'd never made it down the stairs, but this would keep history from repeating itself. She placed her hand atop her belly. This one would stay safe - she'd guarantee it.

The garage door clicked and began to creak open. "Mr. Salvatore." A burly man in white button-down shirt ducked into the garage. "I thought I saw your car out there." He put his hands on his hips. "What do you think?"

"Everything looks great. When did you say you'll be finished?"

The man pulled his phone from his pocket and keyed in a few strokes. "The inspector should be here tomorrow morning. After that, you'll be ready to move in. Should I call you after he leaves?"

"I'd appreciate it." Damon reached out and shook the contractor's hand. He placed his hand on Elena's shoulder and guided her forward as the work crew began to filter into the room. "We'll get out of your way."

As she walked along the driveway, Elena was surprised by all the work still being done on the houses surrounding hers. She remembered her house as being one of the most damaged. How was it almost finished? She turned to look accusingly at Damon. "You compelled him."

"What?"

"The builder. You compelled him to finish my house before the others on the street."

Damon stared down at her. She'd always been too smart for her own good. "We were dealing with a deadline." He pointed at her stomach. Before she could protest, he cut her off. "And I paid him very well for his trouble." He smirked as an idea came to him. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine."

"I'm glad. We have some shopping to do."

* * *

Elena dropped into the passenger seat of Damon's car. "No more." They'd been to three stores, and she was now the proud owner of an entire nursery-full of furniture, a kitchen table, and a living room set. Damon had even been persuasive enough to get all the deliveries scheduled for Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. Elena had been making a much-needed restroom break while he worked out the details. She could only assume he'd used his particular brand of persuasion.

"But you don't have a bed yet."

"I'll sleep on the floor if I have to. It'll be better than rooming with Kennedy." Elena turned and faced Damon as he started the car's engine. "She snores - loudly."

Damon cut his eyes in her direction and laughed. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard before turning off the highway.

Elena looked around. "Where are we going?"

"Thought you might be hungry."

"When am I not? But isn't this a little early for dinner?"

"They're open. We'll just have a very private dining experience, and I happen to know we don't have a decent Thai restaurant in Mystic Falls." He pulled in to Thai Tina's parking lot. He stepped from the car and walked around to the passenger side. "Come on, I'll even buy you a whole order of spring rolls."

Damon was right. They were the only couple in the restaurant, so the hostess let them pick out whichever table they wanted. He followed Elena to a table close to the window, not too far from the little rock waterfall in the corner.

"I haven't been here in forever." Elena pulled her chair up to the table. "It hasn't changed much." She bit her lip. "Can you order for me? Spring rolls and Ginger Pad Thai. I need to..." She pointed in the direction of the restroom.

"Again?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You try having a six pound weight on your bladder and see how long you go between trips."

By the time Elena came back, their waitress was walking toward them with two plates of spring rolls. Elena picked one up and dipped hers in the spicy sauce. They ate in silence for several minutes. "Why did you stay?"

"Hmmm?"

Elena placed her half-eaten spring roll on her plate. "In Mystic Falls... When Stefan died, I thought you'd leave." The thought had been nagging at her for weeks. She kept waiting for him to tell her he was going, and she needed to know how much longer she could expect him to be here.

"Do you want me to leave?" He studied her face intently.

"No. I like having you here. From hearing you talk, it didn't seem as if you ever stayed anywhere very long."

"I haven't." He took a bite of his food and chewed thoughtfully. "This is the first time I've ever had a reason to stay anywhere - even after Stefan was gone." He took a drink of his tea and watched Elena's expression. "I was in your brother's wedding. Ric and Jenna invite me to all the family parties. Did you know Jackson asked me to be his assistant baseball coach this spring?" He leaned closer to her and whispered. "He says I'm a better pitcher than Ric." A truck rumbled through the parking lot and Damon followed it with his eyes. "Bonnie hasn't given me a witch-headache in years. And there's you.."

Elena's eyes widened in surprise.

"A long time ago, I promised to protect you. I keep my promises." He flinched. "Do you want me to go?"

"No...not at all. I just keep thinking some morning you'll call me and tell me you're leaving. I'm not sure if I can handle that right now."

"I'll be here as long as you need me." He reached across the table and took her hand. "Your family is more like my real family than when I grew up." He shifted in his chair. "My father always blamed me for my mother's death. He was right, I guess. I was four years old. I'd never seen snow, and one morning I woke up and the whole countryside was white. I grabbed my jacket and ran outside. It was incredible, crunching through the snow. I walked backwards so I could see my footprints. My dog, Shep, ran beside me. I didn't think about the creek behind our house. It was almost covered with snow, and I got too close. My mother must have been watching from the inside the house, and she saw me fall in. She flew through the yard. I'd never seen her run that fast." He stared down at the table. "She pulled me out, but she fell in. She got back out, but her clothes were soaked through." He paused as the waitress came and delivered their meals. "She came down with something - maybe pneumonia. She never got better. And my father said it was my fault she died. Of course, that didn't stop him from marrying Stefan's mother six months later..."

Elena blinked at him in surprise. "Wait. Stefan's mother?"

"You didn't know?" Damon looked confused. "I guess it isn't really the kind of thing that comes up in conversation." He shrugged. "She died a few weeks after she had Stefan, but, of course that wasn't his fault."

"I'm sorry. I never knew." All this time, Damon had blamed himself for something that happened when he was four years old. She blew on her plate and cautiously took a bite. "That first night you came to my house. You said that you and Stefan have lost almost everyone you've loved. You were telling the truth."

"I'd never lie to you." He was quiet. He wasn't certain why he'd picked this moment to tell Elena about his mother. She definitely didn't need anything else to worry about right now.

Elena stared at Damon. She could tell his thoughts were a million miles away. She wasn't sure what to say. He'd carried the burden what happened to his mother for far too long.

His phone buzzed, and he pulled it from his pocket. The serious moment broken, he gave her a wry smile. "Which is why I have to tell you this... Oh, Jenna is going to kill me."

"What is it?" She felt her pulse begin to speed up.

"I've been working for Jenna today. You're having a baby shower tonight."

* * *

They pulled down Jenna's street, and Elena realized Damon was definitely telling the truth. The mailbox was decorated with pink and blue balloons, and a half-dozen cars were parked in the driveway.

"A baby shower?"

"You're really cutting it kind of close. Jenna's been planning this for weeks, but she wasn't sure when you wanted to come back to Mystic Falls." Damon parked his car. "From here on out, you're on your own." He smirked. "Ready?" Elena hesitantly climbed from the car.

"Elena!" Caroline didn't give her friend the opportunity to jump back into Damon's car. She threw the front door open and ran down the sidewalk. "You're huge!" She walked into the yard and threw her arms around her friend.

"Oh please don't remind me." Elena laughed. "How are you here on a Tuesday?"

"I told my principal I needed a few days off. He didn't mind. After all, his cheerleaders have never won state before." She grinned and held out her arm to help Elena up the stairs.

"Who is here?" Elena turned to count the cars in the driveway that now resembled a parking lot.

"Ummm...I think who isn't here would be a better question. I think Jenna invited everyone who's known you since you were born."

"Really?"

Caroline laughed. "No, not really. Bonnie, Hannah, my mom, Tyler's mom...just a few. I wanted to invite the whole town, but Jenna said no." She stopped on the porch and turned to face Elena. "I heard Damon told you about the house."

Elena nodded. "You did an incredible job. Thank you. I can't believe you kept it a secret."

Caroline shook her head and rolled her eyes. "It really wasn't that hard. If I could keep my mother from finding out I'm a vampire for five years...not telling you I'm picking out paint colors is a piece of cake."

"Speaking of cake..." Bonnie walked out onto the porch to meet Elena and hugged her. "We were beginning to think you weren't coming to your own baby shower."

"That's not my fault. Damon stopped for Thai."

"Thank goodness." Jenna walked into the room with Madison in her arms. "I'm not sure how much more Thai I could eat."

"I can't help it. The last name might be Salvatore, but this little one has a definite preference for Thai food. Do you remember how much pizza we ate when you were pregnant with Kennedy? By the end, the delivery guy just started showing up at your house. You didn't even have to call in your order."

Jenna nodded in agreement. "Well, come on. Do you want cake or presents first?" She pointed to the dining room table laden with gifts on one side and a baby-carriage shaped cake on the other.

"Cake!" Kennedy peered over the edge of the table. She reached out and was almost successful in running her fingers through the icing.

"I guess we're having cake first."

"Wait! Don't cut it yet." Jenna grabbed the camera off the hall table. "We have to have pictures. Elena, go stand behind the table."

"Oh, no." Elena shook her head. "I look horrible. I've been shopping all day." She tried to dodge the camera.

"No, you're going to want to remember this." Caroline gave her a gentle push. Elena humored her and stood behind the table and smiled.


	10. Chapter 10

I'm behind on answering my reviews. Sorry about that. I've been tied up with house stuff….as in, we keep having to disappear while the realtors show our house. I'll catch up soon. I apologize. I do really appreciate all your reviews.

Author's note: Ummm...TVD isn't mine. This story is still rated M - a character is still dead, mature content may appear

For those who have asked, I believe this story should run approximately 16 chapters (actually 15 plus an epilogue). We've already hit the lowest point - at least I think so. We still have a couple "tissue optional" moments included in the rest of the story, but everyone's state of mind seems to be a bit more positive now.

* * *

Elena pulled the last bag of groceries from the trunk of her car just as a car parked in front of her house.

"What are you doing?" Alaric called out as he got out of his car.

"Carrying in my groceries, Ric. I have to eat or at least this one does." Elena paused and turned to wait for him as he walked up the sidewalk. He was already wearing his bright green team t-shirt with "Coach" spelled out on the back. She shifted her grocery bag to her hip as she looked at her watch. She was running later than she thought - she'd have to hurry if she was going to make it to Jackson's first game of the season.

Alaric jerked the bag away from her with a stern shake of his head. Elena had a feeling that Jenna was going to hear about the grocery trip later. His voice shifted into dad-mode. "I know you have to eat, but you're not supposed to carry anything. You should have called us."

Elena sighed. "I don't need a babysitter. I can't have someone with me 24 hours a day. You and Jenna have other things to do than go grocery shopping for me." She pushed her front door open. "And the bags really weren't that heavy. I carried them one at a time."

"Just don't let Jenna know what you were doing." Alaric whispered under his breath as he slid behind her.

Elena breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't going to fill her aunt in on her unapproved activity. When Elena moved into the house, Jenna had lectured that if she got word that Elena was even thinking about breaking her activity restrictions, she'd be back at their house as soon as Damon could pack her things.

Alaric set the bag on the counter with the other half-dozen bags Elena had already brought inside. He leaned against the countertop as he waited for Elena to unload her groceries. "Jenna said you called. You needed help with something." He eyed the countertop full of bags. "And I'm assuming it wasn't emptying your car."

"Oh, right." She put a carton of milk in the refrigerator. "Do you have time to hang some curtains?"

Alaric nodded. "I thought I already hung them all."

"Not in the nursery." Elena smiled. "I finished setting it up today - except for the curtains." She put the last box of cereal in the pantry before motioning for Alaric to follow her up the stairs. She paused outside the door. "I'm swearing you to secrecy. You're going to be the only person to know boy or girl. You won't tell anyone?" Her eyes pleaded with him. She'd kept this secret for so long, she really didn't want anyone to find out before the baby came.

"I won't tell anyone."

Elena turned the knob and went inside. Alaric was right on her heels.

"You've been busy today." When the delivery men had finished on Thursday, the room had been filled with the dark cherry furniture - a crib, changing table, and dresser that matched the glider. Now when he looked around, he didn't hide his look of surprise.

"I was good. I didn't move anything." Elena bit down on her lip. "Do you like it?"

"I do." While Jenna decorated all three of their children's rooms with bright, vibrant colors, Elena's nursery was a study in classic elegance. A cream lamp with a fringed trim sat on the elevated section of the changing table - a worn stuffed rabbit leaned against the base of the lamp. Alaric walked closer to study the battered book lying beneath the lamp. "The Velveteen Rabbit?"

"My favorite book when I was little. That's my grandmother's copy." Alaric opened the cover and was surprised to see a crayon rabbit in a child's scrawl.

"Jeremy got his hands on it when he was little. He liked to draw even then." She took the book from his hands and flipped through the pages. "Thankfully, mom caught him before he added any more decorations."

The tiny bedspread draped over the lowered crib rail continued the rabbit theme. A family of rabbits scampered throughout the print - some peeked out of holes, others chewed carrots, a mother rabbit and a family of babies sat under an old oak tree. As he continued to look around the room, he decided to hazard a guess. "Girl?"

Elena nodded as she picked up the curtains she'd already arranged on the rod. Cream eyelet lace with a tiny ribbon of pink running an inch from the bottom, they gave the room an antique feel.

"You're going to have to take Jenna's clothes back."

"Already done."

"And she was so sure." Alaric climbed up the small stepladder Elena had placed next to the window.

"She didn't even guess right about Madison..." She handed him the hammer and nails. "I didn't have the heart to tell her the other night. The overalls really were cute."

"Girls can wear overalls."

"Not ones with frogs jumping out of puddles."

Alaric gave a half-shrug, conceding her point. "How does this look?" He held the curtains up to the window.

"A little higher on the right." Elena stepped back and studied the placement. "Now, down on the right - just half an inch." She smiled and nodded. "That's good."

He hammered the bracket into the wall before snapping the rod in place. As he climbed down the stepladder, he glanced at his almost-step-daughter. "Are you sure you want to come to Jackson's game?"

"I promised him I'd be there. I haven't missed one yet, and I have a feeling I'm going to be skipping a few this season."

"You look a little tired."

"I'll take a nap on the couch before Damon gets here."

"Where is Damon?" Not that he minded, but he really expected Damon to be here helping Elena today.

"Umm..his supply in the refrigerator was getting low."

Alaric gave a single nod of his head and let the subject drop. That was one aspect of his friend's life that he didn't ask for too many details. "I've gotta go. If you decide not to come, it'll be fine. You can still meet us for pizza."

"No. I promised Jackson. I'll be there. Have Jenna save me a seat."

* * *

Damon's car rolled to a stop on the gravel driveway of the Danville blood bank. He'd been making this trip once a month for the last five years. Thankfully, he'd found a doctor easily compelled to supply him with the necessary paperwork. As far as the employees at the blood bank knew, he worked for a reclusive gentleman with a rare blood disorder requiring daily transfusions. Since the man seldom went out in public, they were administered by a private nurse in the comfort of his own home.

The bell on the door jangled as Damon tugged it open.

"Mr. Smith! I was wondering if you were coming today. I had your appointment on my calendar." Helen was walking through the waiting room straightening the stacks of magazines. "You're cutting it close to closing time, but I knew you'd be here. I called my husband to tell him I'd be a little late getting home tonight."

Damon was well-aware of how late he was. An accident along his route had caused him an almost two hour delay, but he couldn't skip the trip. Elena was getting too close to her due date, and he couldn't risk running out.

"Sorry. There was a wreck on the highway."

"Oh, I heard about that on the radio. Sounded bad."

"Three ambulances and four fire trucks."

"Ohhhh - I'll bet I'll be getting a call soon." Helen walked into the office and pulled out a stack of paperwork. "How is Mr. Jones doing?"

"Better. Thank you. He had a few rough days last month, but he seems stronger now." Damon answered smoothly. "Do you have everything ready?"

Helen was always the model of efficiency. Of course she had the cooler packed and ready. "The cooler's in the back. I'll just step back and get it for you." She placed a stack of papers on the counter. "Can you sign these?"

Damon approached the counter and picked up the pen. He gave the documents a cursory examination before signing James Smith at the bottom of the first page. He turned and met Helen in the hallway, taking the heavy cooler from her hands. "Here, you don't have to carry that."

"Thanks!" She rubbed her hand on her thigh. "Same time next month?"

"It's a date." He backed out toward the door. "Thanks for staying open late for me."

* * *

Elena's phone buzzed on the table. She reached out to pick it up - Damon.

_Stuck in traffic. I'm going to be late to the game._

Elena keyed in her reply.

_No problem. I'll meet you there._

She looked at the time on her phone. She'd been asleep longer than she thought. After grabbing her purse, she rushed out the door. Thankfully, Jackson's game was scheduled for the soccer fields not too far from her house.

Elena walked to the bleachers just as the team was taking the field.

"I thought you'd gotten smart and decided not to come." Jenna left the double stroller at the sidelines as she came to give Elena a hug.

"I wouldn't miss Jackson's game."

"You should be sleeping right now. Ric told me about all the work you did on the nursery today." Jenna didn't look pleased.

"I'm fine, Jenna." Elena waved at Jackson as he trotted onto the field.

"Sure you are." She shook her head in annoyance. Elena had the feeling they'd be discussing her activities after pizza tonight. "We brought you a folding chair. Want me to go get it?"

Elena was grateful they'd thought of the folding chair. She'd been sore sitting on the metal bleachers last spring, she could only imagine how she'd feel today. "That would be great."

"You'll watch them?" Jenna motioned to the stroller.

"Gladly." Elena knelt next to the girls. Madison was sound asleep, but Kennedy was playing with her stuffed frog. "Hello Miss Kennedy." Kennedy immediately reached for Elena.

"Out!"

"Oh no, your mommy has you strapped in. You have to stay in the stroller. Do you have your frog?" Elena took the stuffed animal that Kennedy offered and pretended to make it hop along the lap bar on the stroller. "Where did Froggy go?" She hid the frog behind Kennedy's head and the little girl spun around to try to find it. "You got him!"

"Here you go." Jenna called out as she set up the chair.

Elena stood and stretched as she took the handle of the stroller and pulled it back next to her seat. She didn't want to admit it, but the aching in her back told her she might actually have overdone it earlier in the day. She fought to keep a straight face. If Jenna suspected anything, she'd send Elena home before Jackson had a chance to score a goal. "I'll watch them while you do your team mom stuff."

Jenna walked to the side of the field and started snapping pictures of the boys as they warmed up. Ric called the boys to a team huddle, and they quickly formed a circle with their hands linked behind each others' backs. This was their third season together. The boys were as close as siblings.

The referee blew his whistle, and the game began. Elena joined in with the parents as they chuckled watching the "bumblebee" soccer game. The boys all circled whoever had the ball - sometimes dribbling to the correct goal, but occasionally not. At this age, no one kept score.

Of course they didn't. The Ninja Turtles were up 4 - 2.

* * *

"Go Jackson!" Jenna stood and screamed as her son scored a goal at the end of the second quarter. He jumped up and down in excitement - giving his mother a thumbs up. Unfortunately, her scream awakened Madison. "Oh, I was hoping you'd sleep through the game." At first, she tried to ignore Madison's cries but it was clear that was a futile attempt. "Ok, I'll feed you." Jenna rummaged through the diaper bag and pulled out a bottle. She unbuckled Madison from her carrier and took the little one into her arms. Unfortunately, the cap wasn't screwed on well, and she proceeded to spill the milk all over Madison. "Ric!" Jenna's eyes shot daggers at her husband.

Elena tried not to laugh as Madison was becoming more and more vocal in her demand for the bottle, even though her clothes were soaked through. "Do you have another?"

"No." Madison's face was now a lovely shade of pink.

Elena dug through the diaper bag until she produced the box of Kennedy's favorite cookies. She opened the box and handed one to Madison. Jenna gave her a wide-eyed stare. "Trust me, she loves them." Madison now gummed happily on the cookie. "I caught Kennedy feeding Madison one last month. Why don't you take her back to the van and get her cleaned up? I can handle the half time snacks."

Jenna studied her youngest child - who was now a wet, sticky, cookie-oozy mess. "Probably a good idea. Drinks are in the cooler - all the boys get one. I've got some extras for siblings." She pointed to a plastic grocery sack. "Those are for after the game. They WILL try to take them at half-time. Don't let them. They can have the sliced oranges and grapes in the cooler." She reluctantly stood, trying not to get any of the mess on herself. "Let's go get you cleaned up."

Her back still sore, Elena stood and leaned against the bleachers. The boys had really improved since last season. Since the first couple of accidental goals in the first quarter, none of the Ninja Turtles had scored for the Rebels. Just as Jackson's best friend Brady took the ball from a tiny red-haired boy, the referee blew the whistle to announce half-time.

The boys knew what that meant.

Soon they were racing toward Elena, all trying to be first. "Wait! There's plenty." She reached down, picked up the cooler, surprised to discover how heavy it was. Taking a breath, she swung it onto the bleachers, and was instantly rewarded with a stabbing pain shooting through her abdomen. Her eyes watering, she tried to smile as she patted Jackson on the shoulder. "Everybody gets one drink. Guys, you can have some oranges too." She saw Brady's mother at the top of the stands. "Can you make sure they don't get into this bag?" She handed her the after game treats. "I need to..." She pointed in the direction of the restroom.

* * *

Damon had to circle the parking lot twice before he finally gave up finding a parking space and parked on the side of the road. He knew he was very late to the game, but he had to drop off his supplies at the house before coming to the soccer fields. Alaric liked to take the boys out for pizza every Saturday, and Damon wasn't sure how long it would be before he got home.

He studied the various fields, looking for the familiar bright green jerseys. He finally spotted the team seated on the grass drinking from their water bottles. Jenna approached the boys just as he arrived. "Didn't Elena come?"

"She was right here when I left to go change Madison. She said she'd take care of handing out the snacks." Jenna looked down at the base of the chair. Elena's purse was still there.

"Are you looking for Elena?" Brady's mother hopped down from the bleachers. "She went to the restroom a few minutes ago."

The whistle blew and the boys raced onto the field. Damon couldn't relax. He kept waiting for Elena to come back. The building that housed the concession stands and the restrooms was at the far side of the soccer fields. Damon had been at the game for at least 10 minutes now. Even if he'd just missed her as she left to go to the restroom, she should have been back by now. He stared toward the building, but he didn't see her. He turned to Jenna. "I'll be right back."

Damon hurried along the sidewalk, nodding to people he knew, but not bothering to stop and talk. He got to the building and discovered the concessions area was already closed for the day. Just as he rounded the corner to get to the restrooms, he saw her.

Leaning against the stone wall - her hands on her knees - Elena's forehead was covered in sweat. He sped to her side, not caring who might see him.

"Damon." She winced as she leaned against him. "I wasn't thinking. I picked up the cooler." Her breathing was coming in shallow pants. "I didn't have my phone."

Her voice choked in her throat as her forehead creased. "It hurts, Damon." The doe eyes were filled with a mixture of fear and pain that he'd never seen before. "Really bad." She couldn't catch her breath.

"Shh. I've got you." In one smooth motion, he picked her up and carried her toward his car.


	11. Chapter 11

Author's note: I still have no ownership of TVD. Sorry about the cliffhanger. I didn't want to end up with the never-ending chapter.

I've had a few questions about baby Salvatore's genetic makeup. She's 100% human - no odd hybrids in my story. I've taken a few liberties with the info we learned from Damon in "Bloodlines." As long as a vampire has a healthy diet of blood, their bodies function almost normally. With Bonnie's help, Stefan's body DID function normally. Not wanting to get too "birds and the bees" on y'all, but everything was working just as if he were human again.

I'm nervous about this chapter. I'm comfortable writing death, emotions, etc...childbirth scares me. I have two kids, and I've had two c-sections due to medical reasons. (Yep, I moved a bookcase in the nursery and gave myself a more serious version of what Elena's currently dealing with.)

Warnings: This story continues to be rated M for character death and mature themes

* * *

"Could you get Jenna?" Elena looked anxiously up at Damon as he walked into the room. The lights were turned off except for a single light above her bed.

Damon shook his head. "No. Her phone's still going straight to voicemail."

"Figures. She probably forgot to charge it." Elena winced as she pushed up from the bed. "She didn't seem like she'd been having a great day."

"I know the feeling." He walked to Elena's bedside. "Has the doctor been in yet?"

"Nope. Just a nurse." She stared up at the ceiling.

Minutes ticked by. Damon pulled a chair up alongside the bed and reached out for Elena's hand. He'd be discussing the care and upkeep of cell phones when all this was over. Elena was trying to act calm, but he'd known her for too long. If she were allowed to walk right now, she'd be pacing the room like a caged jaguar. She needed Jenna here right now—not him.

Elena frowned as the door squeaked open and an unfamiliar woman wheeled a sonogram machine into the room.

"Hello, Elena, I'm Doctor Myers. I'm the on-call doctor this weekend. Let's take a look and see what's going on." She came to stand at the foot of Elena's bed.

As she reached for the hem of the hospital gown, Damon squeezed Elena's hand before releasing it. "And that's my cue to leave." He noticed the doctor give him a funny look that thankfully passed before she started asking any question.

Before he took three steps from the side of the bed, Elena moved from nervous into panic-mode. She clawed the air, grabbing his hand, and gripping it tightly. "Please stay."

He looked into her eyes and saw a look of genuine fear. He wasn't prepared for this. They'd worked out the plan weeks ago. Elena wasn't going to be alone at any point along the way, however, the delivery room wasn't exactly his comfort zone. That was Jenna's role in all this.

Jenna had been the one to take the childbirth classes with Elena. Damon could save Elena's house. He could endlessly rearrange furniture. He could sit and watch while she dipped pickles in peanut butter.

But this?

Standing here...holding her hand while she delivered his brother's child? That was way beyond what he'd been prepared to do.

But this was Elena.

And she was scared. To be honest, from the way he heard her heart pounding in her chest, she was beyond scared…and past frightened…and had moved straight to terrified.

He entwined her fingers with his, bringing her hand up to his lips and kissing it gently. "Everything's going to be ok." His eyes never left hers as the doctor worked behind him.

Doctor Myers squeezed the clear gel onto Elena's belly. "You have a little bruising here. Is this where it hurts?" Damon didn't miss how the doctor's voice changed from friendly to all-business. She'd walked into the room with the intention of humoring a first-time mom and now she found a real problem.

Elena nodded as her fingers tightened their grip on Damon's hand. After a minute, he felt her relax. He looked at his watch and made note of the time.

"Well, everything looks good. It looks like you have a small separation in your placenta.." Damon heard Elena's breathing choke. Doctor Meyers continued on before Elena went over the edge, "however your baby seems to be tolerating it well." She gave a reassuring smile. "I haven't put you on a monitor yet, but I'd say you're already in labor. Let's check and see how you're doing. Relax your legs."

Elena sucked in her breath as the doctor performed the more extensive exam. Damon noticed her cheeks flush as she looked away from him. At another time, he might remind her he'd seen everything before…even if it wasn't actually Elena he'd seen.

"You're already at a four." Doctor Meyers gave an impressed nod. "I honestly thought we'd be sending you home, but you surprised me." She pulled her gloves off and pulled the sheet back down over Elena's legs. "Looks like you're going to be staying with us. I'm going to put you on a monitor for a little while. Try to relax and get some sleep while you can."

Elena nodded as her fingers tightened on Damon's again.

He looked back at his watch. Five minutes since the last one. This was going to be a very long night.

* * *

"Where's Elena?" Jackson took a drink of his soda. "I thought she was coming." The pizza parlor was filled to capacity by the Ninja Turtles and their families. The owner knew they were coming and kept the buffet stocked with plain cheese pizza, a staple of the boys' diet.

Honestly, Jenna was asking herself the same question. When she'd picked up the folding chair after the game, she'd been surprised to find Elena's bag still tucked under it. But, she knew that Damon had gone to find Elena during the game. If anything had been wrong, he would have called Jenna. He'd probably taken one look at her and convinced her to go home. She'd almost send her niece home before the game even started. If anyone could convince Elena to do something she didn't want to do, it was Damon. Jenna made a mental note to remind herself to thank him later. "I think she was tired. Uncle Damon took her home." Jenna pulled the napkin out of Kennedy's mouth.

Jackson seemed satisfied with that explanation. He was an unusually thoughtful child. Jenna knew he remembered how tired she'd been at the end of her pregnancy with Madison, but he was also a typical 5 year old boy. "Did she see me make the goal?"

"I know she did. I was sitting next to her." That was just before the infamous bottle cap incident.

Brogan ran to Jackson's side. "My dad gave us quarters to play the video games." He dropped a pile of money in front of Jackson. The lights from the games reflected in his glasses.

"Can I?" Playing the video games in the small arcade at the back of the restaurant was a luxury for the Saltzman family.

"Sure. We'll stay 20 more minutes. You go have fun." She bounced Madison on her leg and motioned for her husband to come over.

"Leaving so soon?" Alaric sat in Jackson's recently-vacated seat. He was hoarse from the time he'd spent coaching from the sidelines.

"I want to check on Elena. It isn't like her to leave without letting me know." She passed Madison to Alaric.

"She probably sent you a text. Did you check your phone?"

Jenna pursed her lips.

"Dead again?"

"I thought I charged it last night. Someone unplugged it from the wall, though." She gave Kennedy a meaningful look.

"You're going to have to start using the plug on the kitchen cabinet. I don't know why she thinks it is so much fun to unplug everything." Alaric tore off a chunk of garlic bread and handed it to Kennedy who quickly stuffed it into her mouth. "If you're worried about her, why don't you go ahead and leave. I can wrap it up here. Most of the team is packing up to leave. Once Jackson and Brogan finish, I'll take the kids home."

"You're sure?"

"Yep." He reached out and took the diaper bag from Jenna. "Stay to keep her company for a while."

Jenna walked out of the restaurant and hopped into her car. Elena's house wasn't too far away, and she soon pulled into the driveway. The house was dark. Totally dark. Completely dark. That was unexpected. Ever since the storm, Elena always left the hall light on at night. As she walked up the stairs to the porch, she noticed all the blinds were still open. Her niece might as well have a sign on the door that said no one was home.

She had an uneasy feeling as she rang the bell. No answer. "Elena, are you in there?" She pounded on the door. No matter how hard Elena was sleeping, she should be awake by now. Fumbling through Elena's bag to look for keys to the house, she found something better - Elena's phone.

* * *

Damon's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the screen. "You seem to be calling me." He gave Elena a smile that wasn't returned.

"I'm hoping this is Jenna or Ric." Damon wiggled his eyebrows in Elena's direction drawing a welcome laugh. He was running out of ways to keep Elena distracted. "Are you missing someone?"

Elena stared at Damon as he spoke with Jenna. Her eyebrows knit in a surprisingly Stefan-like expression as she tried to hear his conversation.

"Why yes. She's right here with me." Elena reached for the phone, but Damon shook his head. "And we're at the hospital. Someone went into labor during the soccer game. No, everything's fine. She's at a 4." He still wasn't certain what that meant. Based on the extent of the doctor's examination at the time, he wasn't sure if he really wanted to know. He turned to Elena. "Jenna wants to know where to find your bag."

Wrinkling her forehead in concentration, she tried to remember. "I think it is on the foot of my bed. I was packing it this morning."

"Good timing." He winked as he repeated Elena's directions to Jenna. "She says her bag's in her room at the foot of her bag." He waited a minute while Jenna went to look. "You found it? We'll see you in a few minutes." He ended the call and laughed. "I think your aunt's about to break some traffic laws. Lucky we're friends with the sheriff."

Damon absently rubbed Elena's arm as he tried to help her relax. She was chewing her lip. Something was bothering her. "You okay?"

"I'm scared, Damon." She took a deep breath as the monitor spiked.

Once again, he was reminded how far in over his head he felt. He stroked the hair away from her forehead. "Elena, I've seen you take on a vampire with a handful of pencils. You can do this. Come on, let's take a walk. The nurse said that would help your back."

Elena hesitantly stepped onto the ground and shivered as her bare feet hit the tile. "Cold." She didn't have her slippers - they were in her bag, and her sandals weren't exactly hospital approved. Bare feet would have to do.

Damon wrapped his arm around her back as the pair circled the room. "Want to try the hallway?"

Elena thought for a minute then nodded. They walked slowly, pausing occasionally as they waited out a contraction. As her knees buckled under her, Damon learned that he actually needed to hold onto Elena, not just have his hand on her waist.

"Thanks for staying with me. I know this wasn't exactly on your to do list." She froze and grabbed onto the rail lining the wall.

"What are you talking about?" He squeezed her hand in reassurance. "What else would I be doing tonight?"

* * *

"Elena, don't hold your breath." Jenna brushed a washcloth over Elena's forehead.

"It hurts." Elena's teeth were clenched tightly.

"I know it does. Trust me, I've been there. Three times." She held onto her niece's hand. "Holding your breath makes it worse. Try to relax."

"Oh yes, that's so easy."

"Elena..." Jenna warned.

Damon had been standing at the far side of the room, but he sensed a need for an intervention. "Elena, squeeze my hand. You can't hurt me." But she had a surprisingly firm grip for someone so small. "Maybe you can. It's almost over." He looked at the monitor and watched as the contraction eased. "There you go. Relax." He'd spent the better part of the last hour watching the series of tiny mountains on the monitor rise and fall. The higher the peak, the more likely Elena was to snap at Jenna who, thankfully, seemed to completely understand.

"Just a few more minutes and we'll be ready to push." Dr. Myers stood up and looked out the window as a bird perched on the ledge bathed in bright afternoon sunlight. "You're doing really well."

Elena let out a long breath. "Doesn't feel like it." Sweat beaded on her forehead as she leaned back with her eyes closed.

Jenna walked into the bathroom to put fresh water in the washcloth. "Here. Your turn." She handed the cloth to Damon.

He gently stroked her forehead with the cloth. Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes, and he wiped them away. "You're doing great." He sat at the edge of the bed and held her hand as she fought through the pain.

"Alright Elena, are you ready? You're going to push on this next contraction." A nurse came to stand at the doctor's side.

"No." She shook her head.

"Well, this baby is, so let's get on with this." Dr. Myers turned to Damon. "Get behind her. Support her back."

He took most of Elena's weight as he felt her entire body tense. He couldn't even tell what else was going on in the room as he studied her face. Elena's eyes squinted closed as she fought to bring the new life into the world.

After minutes that felt like hours, Elena fell back onto the bed.

"It's a girl!" Dr. Myers' words were punctuated by the infant's cries. "Congratulations."

"She's beautiful." Jenna stepped away Elena's other side and leaned against the wall. Much of her hair had fallen out of its ponytail, and she brushed it out of her face. It had been a very long day.

"Here you go, Mom." The nurse placed the tiny bundle in Elena's arms. "Five pounds, 3 ounces. Seventeen inches long. She's a tiny one."

Damon looked down at the little one in Elena's arms. He could see all ten toes and fingers. "But she's perfect." He stooped over and brushed a kiss on her forehead.

"She is, isn't she?" Elena ran her fingers over her daughter's dark hair. The baby looked back at her with wide-eyed wonder.

"And does she have a name?" Jenna came around the side of the bed to get a better look at the baby.

Elena nodded. It was the only name on the list she and Stefan had agreed on. "Claire."

"That's a lovely name." The nurse reached out and took her from Elena's arms. "I need to take her to the nursery for a little while." Elena reluctantly released her grip on Claire. "An aide will be in to help you get cleaned up."

* * *

The room lights were off, and the blinds were almost completely closed, leaving the room as dark as if it were twilight instead of barely 6 o'clock. Damon sat in the glider of Elena's new room and watched her as she slept.

So far, she'd been sleeping for an hour - and she needed it. A rather disastrous attempt at nursing Claire, at least based on what Damon could hear from the hallway, had left both Elena and the baby in tears. Only after Jenna tersely reminded the nurse that her niece had been awake for the past 35 hours and that using one bottle wouldn't scar the baby for life did the nurse relent and take Claire away to the nursery to be fed. Damon followed and watched through the window to verify that the baby had calmed down quickly.

Unfortunately, Elena hadn't been as easily pacified. She'd been unable to fight the hefty dose of painkiller Dr. Myers ordered, though, and she quickly fell asleep.

The door to the room creaked open, but Elena didn't even flinch in her sleep as an unfamiliar nurse wheeled in the portable bassinet. She glanced in Elena's direction and walked to Damon's side. "I'm Emma, your night nurse. I'll come back and check in at the end of my rounds. I don't want to wake her up." Damon decided he much preferred Emma to the nurse they'd had that afternoon. "Here she is - all fed and changed." Claire was now sporting a tiny knit cap. Emma looked at Damon's blank wrist. "Don't tell me, Tia didn't give y'all your bracelets." Emma rolled her eyes. Apparently she shared the same views about the day nurse that Damon had.

Damon shook his head as he stared blankly at her.

"Well, with a name like Salvatore, we're not likely to get confused. But..." She opened a slot on the bassinet's cart and pulled out a chart with two wristbands attached with a paperclip. She quietly walked to Elena's side and fastened hers around her wrist before turning and doing the same to Damon. "Remember, if Mom is ever going to go to sleep and leave this little beauty with no one else in the room, she needs to buzz the nursery for someone to come get her." Emma shook her head. "Hospital policy. Trust me, when you're ready to get her back, it is easier for you to come to the nursery to ask for her instead of calling for someone to bring her back. Just show them your bracelet."

The PA system in the hallway called for Emma.

"I'll be back later." She ducked into the hall and closed the door behind her.

Claire rustled in the bassinet and let out a soft mew. "Oh no, you're not waking your mom up." Damon reached down and picked her up. She was so tiny. None of Jenna's crew had been this small. He carried her back to the glider and held her as he loosened the blanket so she could get her arm free. She wrapped her tiny hand around his index finger as he looked down at her wristband.

_Baby Girl Salvatore_

The name was so long it almost didn't fit on the wristband. He looked down at the one he wore.

_Baby Girl Salvatore - Dad_

He blinked at the words. A surge of an unfamiliar emotion washed over him. He stared at those last three letters…and they blurred in front of his vision. As he gently rocked her, Claire stilled and nuzzled into his chest - her hand still wrapped around his finger. He and Elena had been very clear, Damon wasn't the father.

But could he be?

This simple mistake by the friendly nurse forced him to confront feelings he'd buried deep within himself. He remembered how strong Elena had been today - even when they discovered her epidural hadn't worked and it was too late for any other pain killers. She'd never said she couldn't do it - just that she was scared and in pain.

He studied her now...the way her long eyelashes curled onto her cheeks. Her hair, still damp from her shower, hung loose around her face.

All this time, he'd told himself he'd stayed with her out of a duty to his brother. He'd been lying to himself - or at least refusing to admit the truth. He was still very much in love with Elena.


	12. Chapter 12

Author's notes: I don't own TVD. I never have. I never will. This story has a mature rating - character death, mild language, sensitive subject matter, mature subject matter

I have to stop and thank all my loyal reviewers. I've been amazed at how popular this story has become. Your supportive (and occasionally critical) comments keep me going - inspiring me to stretch beyond my scheduled ending.

I hope you enjoy this next phase in the story.

* * *

Damon loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button on his shirt. As Deputy Mayor, he seldom needed to come into his office at town hall, but today he and Carol Lockwood had a meeting with officials from a business thinking of relocating to Mystic Falls, hence the suit and tie. He pulled his office door shut just as someone called out to him.

"Damon!" Carol's voice echoed down the empty hallway. The visitors had been impressed with the town, and Damon's charm, but that meant they'd stayed long-past their welcome. She trotted to his side - a pink gift bag hanging from her fingertips. "Can you take this to Elena? I went by her house today, but she didn't answer. Is she doing alright?" Carol looked legitimately concerned. "I could hear the baby crying in the house."

"Claire was crying? Doesn't sound like her." Damon had tried to give Elena her requested space while she became accustomed to life with Claire, but he'd still tried to drive by to check on them, and he'd never met a more content infant. As long as she was well-fed and had on a dry diaper, she hardly made a sound. "I'll check in on the way home. Thanks." The only reason he hadn't visited this week was Elena. She was so determined she was ready to be on her own. Now that Claire was a month old, she needed to have some time alone with Claire to figure out how to be a single mom.

He'd talked on the phone with her just that afternoon - just like he did every day. He'd asked her how she was doing, and she told him she was fine. Damon stopped mid-stride.

Elena said she was fine.

"I'm fine..." Then it hit him. She'd used the word _fine. _Elena-ese for I'm dying here, but I'm too stubborn to ask for help.

_Damn it._

* * *

Damon didn't have to wonder if he was waking Claire by ringing the bell. He could hear her all the way out into the driveway. Muttering a few curse words at Elena's stubbornness, he jogged up the stairs and pressed on the doorbell.

And pressed again.

And again.

"Answer the door Elena." He called out. When he didn't hear any signs of movement inside the house, he repeated himself. "Elena, open the door." He waited for a minute before he added, "I have a key." Just as he was digging his keys from his pocket, he heard footsteps on the stairs.

The doorknob turned, and Claire's cries grew even louder.

"Elena?" Damon stepped into the house and tried not to show his surprise. She looked wrecked. Her hair had been pulled into a ponytail at some point during the day, but most of her long hair had escaped its confinement and hung limply around her face. Her pale blue t-shirt was stained. Most frightening of all, the circles under her eyes were so dark it looked as if she had two black eyes.

Claire's face was a bright shade of pink as he reached out and took her from Elena. "She's hot." The infant radiated heat through her one-piece pajamas.

Tears welled in Elena's eyes as she looked totally forlorn. "We just got back from the doctor's office. It started as a cold. She must have picked it up from Hannah when she and Jeremy came to visit last weekend. Now she has an ear infection. I can tell she's hurting. I can't calm her down. She won't sleep, not unless I'm holding her…and walking." Elena tottered in place as she stood in front of Damon.

"Whoa." He reached out and braced her shoulder. "When was the last time you slept?"

Elena frowned as she tried to remember.

Damon pursed his lips and looked in the direction of the kitchen. A box of cereal still sat on the kitchen table. "Easier question - when did you eat?"

"I had a bowl of cereal…today."

Elena looked as if she could fall over standing in front of him. He'd drained people leaving more color in their faces than she had now. "You need to go to bed."

"But Damon..."

"Elena, listen to me. I can hold her while she screams just as easily as you can." He reached out and brushed the hair out of her face. "You're not going to be any good to her if you get sick too."

"No, I'm fine, really."

"Do you want me to get Jenna to come over?" Damon knew he was playing dirty, but right now he didn't care.

Elena had been beaten, and she knew it. She walked toward the stairs, hesitating a minute to look back over her shoulder. "What if she gets hungry?"

"Then I'll come wake you up. Go upstairs and go to sleep. I'd tell you to take a bath first, but I think you'd drown." He watched as she slowly made her way up the staircase and turned into her room before closing the door behind her. Judging by her appearance, she was probably asleep 30 seconds after hitting the pillow.

"Shhhh..." He stroked Claire's sweaty head as he walked into the kitchen. He opened the freezer and was dismayed to see it still full. When Jenna and Ric helped Elena come home from the hospital, he'd made sure the freezer and refrigerator were both fully stocked. In the days Elena had been alone with Claire, it appeared she'd been living on canned soup and cereal. Time to change that. He bounced Claire up and down while he pulled a chicken out of the freezer and popped it into the microwave to defrost.

Soon, thanks to his discovery of baby swing, he had a chicken and potatoes roasting in the oven. He'd fix a salad as soon as Elena showed some sign of life upstairs. His reprieve from Claire's tears didn't last more than a few minutes, though. She was soon sputtering - threatening to break into full-blown wails.

"Oh, no. You're not waking up your mother." He cradled her to his chest and patted her back. "Should we see what's on television?" Damon sat on the couch and laid Claire on his knees. As long as she was bouncing, she seemed to be marginally satisfied.

That lasted through one movie. By the end of "Die Hard," Claire was frantically trying to eat her first. He knew what that meant, thanks to an overly informative video they had to watch before the hospital let them escape. He tried to wait as long as he could, but he thought it best not to wait till Claire was back in full-blown screaming mode to wake Elena.

He pushed the door open, and Elena didn't stir. He stood over her, not surprised to see she hadn't even bothered changing clothes. She still looked tired enough to sleep for several more days. "Elena," he whispered as he stroked her cheek.

She groaned as she pushed herself to a sitting position.

"Sorry, but I think she's hungry."

Elena blinked as she looked at the clock. "I've been asleep for two hours?" She hesitated as she started to unbutton her shirt. Her cheeks flushed pink.

Sensing Elena's discomfort, he nodded to the door. "After she's finished, come downstairs. I fixed dinner for you."

"It's after nine o'clock."

"Have you eaten dinner?" He smirked. Claire was turning her head - rooting at Elena's shirt. "I'll go downstairs."

After almost a half-hour, Elena came downstairs with an only mildly upset Claire in her arms. "She's still so hot." She walked into the kitchen and froze. "You made this?"

"You forgot I can cook?"

"No." Elena's eyes were wide as she looked at the food on the counter. "I'm just surprised."

"Have a seat." He smiled as he pulled out her chair and placed a plate in front of her. Elena couldn't hide how hungry she was. He reached out and took Claire from her arms. "So, when did you eat something other than cereal or soup?"

Elena paused mid-bite. She leaned over and held her head in her hands. "I don't know, Damon." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm trying. I really am. This is just much, much harder than I thought it would be."

She suddenly looked so young. Through circumstances totally not her fault, she'd gotten herself in way over her head. "Elena, you have a lot of people who care abou you and want to help you."

She shook her head in desperation. "I can't always depend on Jenna and Ric. They have their own family. Jeremy and Hannah live too far away." Her voice trailed off.

Damon reached out and held her hand. "Then depend on me."

* * *

Once Elena was tucked back in upstairs and the dishes done, Damon found himself alone with Claire once again. He slowly walked in a circle around the living room furniture, he held her to his shoulder and softly patted her back. "You've been awake for hours. You need to sleep." A book on the table caught his eye. _What to Expect the First Year._ It couldn't hurt.

He sat back down on the couch and laid Claire across his knees as he read through the opening chapters. When she started to fuss, he pulled her onto his shoulder and patted her back. "You really don't want to go to sleep do you?" He rocked in place and softly hummed a song he remembered Stefan's mother singing to him. He'd forgotten the words long ago, but the melody lingered. He was surprised when he noticed Claire's eyes staying closed longer and longer with each blink.

He leaned back on the couch cushion and put his feet up on the couch.

Elena stretched as she opened her eyes. A hint of pink was on the horizon. She'd been asleep for five hours. Frantically, she looked into Claire's bassinet before she remembered Damon had been holding her when Elena had gone back to bed.

Had he spent the night?

She pulled her robe on and went downstairs. She walked into the living room and hesitated at the sight in front of her.

Claire was sound asleep on Damon's chest, her tiny fist clutching his t-shirt. She looked so happy and peaceful. Damon was asleep, his dress shirt and tie discarded on the back of the couch. His arm rested protectively across Claire's back. Elena swallowed thickly. They looked so beautiful together. They could easily be mistaken for a father holding his daughter. She'd love to take a picture to keep a memory of this moment, but she didn't want to disturb them.

Elena stepped closer to Damon, trying not to wake either of them, but sneaking up on vampire isn't a simple task. He cracked one eye and held his finger to his lips to tell her to be quiet. "What are you doing up?"

"I haven't slept more than four hours since...I don't know when. I woke up." Elena knelt next to the side of the couch. "You got her to go to sleep."

His eyes flashed. "It appears no female can resist my charm."

Elena rolled her eyes and laughed.

Claire seemed to sense her presence. She was soon smacking in her sleep. "I think your time's up." Damon sat up and peeled Claire off his chest. Her hair was sweaty and sticking to the side of her head where she'd been lying against him. He studied Elena's appearance. She still looked tired, but since she was smiling, he guessed she was in a much better frame of mind than when he'd arrived the night before.

"Thank you for coming over." She sat on a side chair and hesitated before she began to feed Claire. "I don't know if we would have made it without your help." Claire fussed in annoyance since she was in Elena's arms but nothing was being done about filling her stomach.

"I'm always here for you." Damon bent over and kissed the top of her forehead before giving the pair some privacy.


	13. Chapter 13

Author's note:

The standard warnings apply here. I still don't own TVD, no matter how much I'd like to do so. This story contains a character death, mature subject matter, sensitive subject matter, and (for the first time) a language warning applies to this chapter. (Let's just say Tyler is very, very drunk at one point.)

For those of you who have read the books, I'm briging in a more "book-version" of Tyler here rather than the one we've seen interacting with Caroline of late. A scene within this chapter is a nod to the books as well.

My thanks to those who've favorited, reviewed, and encouraged me within the writing of this story. I'll be interested to see your comments about this chapter. On with the show!

* * *

"Elena, hold still." Jenna tugged the last button on the back of Elena's dress closed.

"I still don't understand why I let them talk me into this." Elena studied her reflection in the mirror and tried to smooth the barely-visible bulge at the front of her dress. "I still look pregnant."

"You had a baby five weeks ago." Jenna gave her a critical look. "Trust me, most women would die to look like you right now."

"But do those women ride on a parade float a month after they had a baby?"

""Not sure how many of them were homecoming queen. This is your class' ten year anniversary. You couldn't exactly skip the parade." Jenna fussed with one of the combs in Elena's hair.

"Oh, I think I could have." Elena pushed her sleeve up her arm. Thankfully, it was unusually warm for the mid-October afternoon. Otherwise, she would never have consented to letting Damon watch Claire on the side of the parade route. It had taken her long enough to get over the last cold. She'd only just now felt caught up on her sleep. She didn't want to repeat that any time soon.

"Are you ready?" Jackson pounded at the door to Elena's bedroom. "If you take much longer, we won't be able to get a spot to catch any candy."

"Your spot is saved, remember? You won't have any trouble getting any candy." Elena opened the door and looked down at her nephew. "If you help Uncle Damon with Claire, I promise I'll save all my Lemon Heads for you." She was thankful that Damon had finally convinced Claire taking a bottle was possible last week.

"Come on, ladies, let's go!" Ric called up the stairs.

"Did your dad send you up?" Jenna smoothed Jackson's reddish-brown hair. He must have just taken off his baseball cap. Jackson tried to look innocent, but it wasn't working. "Ric, we'll be down in a second." She turned and sighed. "Try to enjoy yourself. Smile. You look beautiful."

* * *

"You have everything?" Elena rummaged through the diaper bag. Diapers. Wipes. Two bottles. A change of clothes. Baby blankets.

"Elena, I think you packed everything except for a crib." He tried not to look too closely at Elena. With her hair falling in waves over her shoulders and the deep blue dress that clung to her in all the right places - being a nursing mom emphasized certain assets even beyond normal for Elena. Looking more closely at her, he was reminded just a little too much of the Miss Mystic Falls pagent, and that was a day he'd rather forget.- despite the connection he'd felt while dancing with Elena for the first time. At least that memory distracted him from the urge to bring his lips to hers. He busied himself with adjusting Claire's tiny pink hat.

"Let's get this over with." Elena forced a smile as she stepped into the back of the convertible.

"That's the spirit." Damon shut the door behind her as he backed away from the car. "You really do look beautiful."

Elena was surprised to find herself blushing. "Thanks." She waved at Claire as Damon waved her hand in return.

"Ready Mrs. Salvatore?" The driver turned and looked at her.

"As I'll ever be." she looked at the series of decorated convertibles in front and behind her. Since this was the high school's 100th birthday, they had the homecoming kings and queens from almost every ten year interval. Most cars contained both the king and queen, only the occasional car had a single rider. Elena tried not to look at the empty seat next to her.

The car slowly rolled down the street - part of the seemingly never ending caravan. This seriously had to be one of the longest high school parades in the country.

Soon, the cheering crowd and children running alongside the car begging for candy had pulled her from her gloom. Elena smiled in spite of herself as she reached into her bag of candy - careful to save Jackson his favorites.

"Elena!"

Elena squinted into the crowd. "Bonnie!" She waved back as she noticed Caysen's arm wrapped around her friend's shoulder. They looked very cozy. Bonnie held up her left hand and pointed to it. She yelled something, but Elena couldn't make it out. "What?"

Bonnie gestured more emphatically at her ring finger. A bright diamond sparkled on her hand.

"Congratulations!" Elena turned and yelled as her car pulled away.

The parade dragged on and on. Finally, the grandstands rose in the distance. Elena shifted on her perch on the back of the seat. She'd long-since lost feeling in her legs.

"Lay-nah!" Kennedy jumped up and down on the bleacher seat next to Jenna.

The car slowed to a stop as they neared the end of the parade route. Elena reached into her bag and pulled out a sucker. She tossed it to Jackson who had run to the side of the car. "Take that to your sister." Jackson sped away and jogged back to her side. "DId you help out?" She looked over JAckson's head at Claire - apparently sleeping peacefully in Damon's arms.

"I even threw away a diaper." He wrinkled his nose in distaste.

"That deserves a handful." She dropped a half-dozen boxes of his favorite candy into his waiting hands. "I'll give you more when we're finished." She winked at him as the car began to move again.

* * *

"Whoa." Elena's legs buckled as she slid out of the car. Ric reached out and caught her hand. "My legs are asleep." She stomped her feet, trying to get the blood supply pumping.

"Here you go." Damon handed Claire back to Elena as his hand trailed along her arm. "Time for me to go be official." She reached up and straightened his tie before he walked to the stage where it was his job to introduce the high school officials to kick off the night's homecoming festivities.

"Oh, let me see her." Bonnie scooped Claire back out of Elena's arms. "She's gotten so big!"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Elena pointed at Bonnie's ring. She wrapped her arms around her friend in excitement.

"It just happened." Bonnie's grin could have lit an entire room. "He asked me last night. I think he wanted to show off tomorrow."

"Congratulations!" Elena smiled. She was happy for her friend, despite the knowledge that she'd be encountering "Shower Guy" for a very long time.

"Are you meeting us at the Grill tonight?"

"I don't know." Elena looked hesitantly at Claire. "Its kind of late."

"Elena, it isn't even six o'clock yet." Bonnie frowned. "We could almost get the early bird discount." She gave her friend a serious look. "We need to talk."

"Ok, Girl, spill." Bonnie leaned over the table as she spoke softly to Elena. The waitress had taken the last of their dishes, and they sat waiting for their coffee. Caysen joined the cluster of guys surrounding the pool tables. Elena had the distinct feeling he'd been told to make himself scarce after dinner.

"About what?"

Bonnie glowered at her. 'I don't think I'm the only one with news. What's up with you and Damon?"

Elena looked confused. "I have no idea what you're talking about." She glanced in Damon's direction, but he was deep in conversation with Sheriff Forbes.

Bonnie stared at her friend and realized Elena was telling the truth - at least from her point of view. She really didn't seem to think there was anything between them. She decided to drop the topic of conversation for now. Elena seemed happier than she'd seen her in months, and she didn't want to say anything to throw her back over the edge.

Claire began to fuss as she chewed on her fist. Elena reached for the diaper bag, planning to retreat a light blanket; but she realized she'd left it in the car. Sighing in exasperation, she frowned. "Can you hold her? I left the diaper bag in my car." She threaded her way through the packed foyer of the Grill after the parade as she walked to where Damon had parked the car.

While walking to the car, she thought about Bonnie's comment. Why would she think something was going on between Elena and Damon? He'd been helping her with Claire - and generally keeping her sane since Stefan's death - but that was all. Wasn't it?

They'd had to park fairly far from the restaurant. Most of the town had turned out for the parade. She walked through the darkness and unlocked her car before she reached into the back seat to retrieve the bag.

"Elena."

She turned around as she looked to see who'd called out to her. "Um, hello?"

"It's been a while." Tyler Lockwood stepped out of the shadows next to her SUV.

"Pretty sure that was on purpose." Elena did her best to ignore Tyler as she stepped back onto the curb. "Stefan told you to stay out of Mystic Falls."

Tyler looked around furtively. "I don't think your husband's around here anymore, is he?" He laughed softly to himself. "Unless you count underground."

Elena flinched as she walked faster toward the Grill. Despite the fact he was aware of the sacrifice she'd made, or at least attempted to make, to protect him - things hadn't ended well between them. Stefan had made it clear that after Tyler graduated, he was no longer welcome in Mystic Falls. Carol Lockwood was under the impression that Tyler had chosen much the same life as his uncle, and he was happier away from the town that held so many conflicting memories.

"Don't ignore me Elena." He caught up with her and grabbed her arm while he studied the bag on her shoulder. "My mom was right. You really do have a kid." He pushed her into the alley next to the Grill.

"Her name is Claire. Bonnie has her in the Grill." Elena hoped Tyler might remember the last time he'd chosen to take on Bonnie. Sadly, he seemed a little more dense than usual tonight.

"What did Stefan think about that?"

Elena stared blankly back at him.

"I mean, we all know you and Stefan couldn't..." He stepped closer to Elena. She could smell the alcohol on his breath - and his clothes. Did he bathe in beer tonight? "How did he feel knowing you were sleeping with another guy?"

Elena felt the bile rising in her throat. "Claire is Stefan's daughter, Tyler." She attempted to pry his hand loose from her arm, but he only held on tighter. "You're drunk. Leave me alone."

"Saintly Elena... It was always Matt...until it was Stefan..." He slid his right hand to her shoulder, still holding her left arm tightly. "You'd never even look in my direction."

Elena squirmed in his grip. Earlier tonight, the sidewalk was packed. Now it was a ghost town. Where had everyone gone? "Tyler. Let go. You're really drunk." She struggled harder as he stroked her cheek. "Tyler!" She yelled as his fingers traced the neck line of her dress. "Stop it. You don't want to do this." She drew her knee back and slammed it into him - only succeeding in making him angry. His eyes were tinted amber as he knocked her into the wall.

* * *

Bonnie stood and scanned the restaurant. Not only were their coffees getting cold, Claire was getting distinctly restless. What had started as a mewing threatened to erupt into full-blown screams. More than one patron had turned with a less-than-amicable expression on their face. Elena said the car was parked a distance away, but this was becoming ridiculous.

As Claire's fussing turned into tears, Damon turned back to Elena's table. And she wasn't there. "Excuse me, Liz." He crossed the room and stopped next to Bonnie. "Where did Elena go?"

"She just went to get the diaper bag."

Damon nodded. He'd seen her leave, but he didn't understand why she hadn't come back.

"Tyler!" Elena's voice came from a short distance in front of him. "Stop it. You don't want to do this." He heard a scuffle mixed with an animal-like growl. He allowed his vampire nature to take control as he sped in the direction of the noise. Rounding the corner, he felt a flash of anger as Elena attempted unsuccessfully to fight off Tyler's advances.

"She said stop it." Damon's voice had a deadly edge to it as he flung Tyler at the wall. Whatever comment Tyler planned to make was stuck in his throat as Damon's fingers tightened on Tyler's throat.

"Damon, let him go." Elena's words came out in a sob.

He stood there, holding Tyler by the neck as his feet dangled beneath him. He felt the change in his face. He wanted to kill him. Just as he lost touch with the last bit of his human self, he saw Elena's face out of the corner of his eye. Slowly, he lowered Tyler to the ground - still not releasing his air supply. "Never. Touch. Her. Again. Or. I. Will. Kill. You." His words held such menace Tyler didn't hesitate as he scampered into the darkness.

He turned to Elena and was appalled. Her dress was torn, and her shoulders were shaking. Without saying a word, he pulled her into his arms. He felt her body shake with silent tears. "You're bleeding."

Elena reached up and touched the side of her head. Her fingers pulled away - wet and sticky. "I'll be okay."

He buried his face in her hair and kissed the top of her head.

"I thought you were going to kill him."

It had taken every ounce of strength Damon had not to kill Tyler. It had been years since he'd felt that kind of bloodlust. But he'd looked at Elena, and he could see the fear in her eyes. He wouldn't make her witness what he was planning to do to Tyler. "You asked me not to." He shrugged off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders just as Bonnie rounded the corner with Claire.

"What's going on?" Bonnie was stunned at Elena's appearance.

"She'll call you tomorrow." Damon let go of Elena's shoulders, and he was immediately impressed by how quickly she was pulling herself together. "She'll explain then."

Bonnie wasn't easily dissuaded, so she followed them to the car. After Damon had Elena and Claire safely locked inside, he turned to Bonnie. "Let's just say I'd be very grateful if you gave Tyler Lockwood your best witchy-headache."

* * *

"Why don't you take a shower. I'll take care of Claire." Damon offered as they arrived at Elena's house. Once the baby was bathed, diapered, and dressed in her soft pink pajamas, he tapped softly on the bedroom door. Elena hadn't said a word to him as they'd driven home. He knew she'd been frightened - but was she afraid of him or Tyler? "Do you want me to give her a bottle?"

Elena opened the door as she tied the robe around her waist. "No. I think I want to feed her tonight." As she took Claire in her arms, Damon saw the trail of scratches down Elena's neck.

"He hurt you." He reached out and hesitantly touched the flame-red welts.

"But you stopped him." She switched off the light as she walked to the nursery and sat in the glider. Picking up the light blanket, she threw it over her shoulder before sliding her robe down. She locked eyes with Damon. She knew how well he could see in the dark. "Will you stay tonight? I don't want to be alone."

When he answered, his voice was low and serious. "Whatever you need."

The only sound in the room was Claire's satisfied sucking. Elena was sure, though, that Damon could hear the sound of her heartbeat. Something had changed between them, Bonnie was right. But when?

Elena felt as if she'd been torn in half. Part of her was ready, but the other half was focused on the picture on Claire's tiny nightstand.

Claire's drinking slowed, and she fell asleep - a baby smile curling her lips. Elena adjusted her robe before placing her child gently in the crib. She took two steps before she found herself in Damon's embrace. "I don't understand."

He inhaled the soft scent of her shampoo as he pulled her tighter. She'd been through so much tonight. He wasn't sure if she was really ready for this. "Let's go downstairs." He guided her to a seat on the couch. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the marks on her neck and he lifted his fingers to slowly trace them until they disappeared beneath her robe.

"It doesn't hurt. Not anymore." She reached out and wrapped his arm around her. It had been so long since anyone had touched her. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed it as she relaxed into his embrace.

Damon knew this wasn't the night to take anything farther. If nothing else, he'd learned from reading Elena's various baby books that the first time after a baby's arrival made for a memorable night - but not the fun kind. He reached down and pulled a blanket up from the floor and tucked Elena in as he turned so she could get into a more comfortable position. Soon, she was breathing heavily in his arms. He picked her up and gently carried her up the stairs before he tucked her into her bed. Placing a kiss on her forehead, he whispered softly. "We have a lot to talk about."


	14. Chapter 14

Author's notes:

Nope, I don't own TVD.

Warnings: rated M, character death, language, sensitive subject matter

* * *

An annoying buzzing noise pulled Elena from her sleep. As she was blinking into the darkness surrounding her, it stopped but then started again almost instantly. She reached for her phone, but she didn't show to have missed any calls…and it didn't quite sound like her phone anyway.

Damon's phone. What was it doing here?

Gradually, the events of the night before came flowing back to her. Damon was here - somewhere. She could only imagine what the neighbors were probably thinking. But those kind of thoughts were better saved for after coffee and not just past midnight. The buzzing started again, and she glared at Damon's jacket, still draped over the back of her chair. Rolling out of bed, she patted the pockets until she found his phone.

Three missed calls at 2 o'clock in the morning?

She carefully tugged her robe on, not wanting to irritate her scratched arm and shoulder. She'd been very particular about which side she'd offered Claire earlier in the evening. Stepping into the hall, she hesitated for a moment. Did she even know if Damon was here?

Of course he was.

She'd asked him to stay.

She descended the stairs and saw him stretched on the couch. Once again, his dress shirt and tie had been discarded and lay on the floor beside him. His legs were crossed at his ankles, and he honestly didn't look very comfortable.

The phone buzzed to life in her hand again. He shot upright and turned around.

"Your phone." Elena tossed it to him and sat in the chair - wondering what would call for repeated phone calls in the middle of the night.

"Tell her I'll be right there." Damon bent over and picked up his shirt. "How bad is it?" He pulled his now very wrinkled shirt on over his t-shirt. "Thanks for letting me know, Liz." He looked deadly serious as he ended the call. "That was Liz Forbes. There's been an accident. Tyler Lockwood was involved. I need to go." He stepped closer to Elena and laid his hand on her arm. "You'll be alright?" He caught a good look at her in the light from the lamp in the entryway, and he almost called Liz back. Elena's jaw was bruised and scratches covered her neck and cheek. Looking at how Tyler's uncontrolled rage had left Elena, he wished he hadn't let Tyler go the night before. Of course, if what Liz told him was correct, nature may have taken its course in dealing with Tyler.

"Go. I'll be fine." She followed him to the door and locked it behind him.

* * *

Damon walked through the now-familiar doors to the hosptial. Once, not too long ago, a trip to the hospital would be one of the hardest tests of his excellent self-control. Now, after being exposed to the not-so-faint blood smell so often, he could easily walk through the too-clean corridors and focus on his business at hand.

Pre-dawn hours at the hospital were a study in contrasts. The lights were darkened and the noise from speakers and machines kept to a minimum. However, those that wandered the halls at this time of night had such a sense of purpose. People weren't here now unless they absolutely had to be.

"Liz?" He walked into the waiting room for the surgery suite. He looked around and didn't see Carol Lockwood.

Liz was standing in the corner of the room - her phone pressed to her ear. She motioned to Damon, letting him know she'd seen him come in. He'd seen Liz in that mode often enough. Last time, she'd been in charge of the rescue efforts after the storm struck their town.

He made his way to a cluster of couches at the far side of the room before he sat down and thumbed through a magazine while he waited.

"Thanks for coming, Damon. Carol stepped out for some air, but she should be right back. You didn't pass her on the way in?"

"No, but I came through the main lobby." The side entrance was closer, but it was directly across from the blood bank. No use taking any unnecessary risks. "So what happened?" He put the magazine down and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees.

"We're still trying to put all the pieces together." Liz came and sat on a love seat perpendicular to the couch. "We know earlier tonight, he was drinking with some high school buddies after the parade - doing shots at the Grill." She grimaced. They'd been making progress with the bartenders at the Grill. "Apparently the bartender didn't cut Tyler off because he said he was walking home." She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "He left before the rest of them did." Liz pursed her lips. "After that, things get sketchy. Someone said they saw him in a fight outside the Grill. He ran off, but we're not sure what happened. I was told a girl was involved. We'd like to talk to her - find out what he said to her."

Damon nodded his head without meeting Liz's eyes. "You didn't just call me to support Carol."

Silence fell between them. They'd been friends long enough that Liz could Damon was hesitating. "Do you know who Tyler was fighting?"

'I wouldn't call it a fight." Damon admitted. "I pulled him off Elena in the alley."

"It really was Elena." Liz seemed to wish her informant had been wrong. "I wasn't sure, but from the information I had, it sounded like that was who it must have been. Then, I remembered you never came back to finish your drink last night, and I put the pieces together. Is she alright?"

He tensed as he remembered Elena's appearance when he pulled Tyler away from her. "It was a good I got there when I did. She was pretty messed up. I was going to have her come talk to you today."

"I'm not sure if that's going to be necessary anymore."

"That bad?" Part of him was relieved to at the potential to have Tyler gone from Mystic Falls for good, but then he surprised himself. He knew how much losing her son would impact Carol. He didn't want that for his friend.

As if on cue, Carol Lockwood came through the door holding tight to a bottle of water. She'd obviously been taken by surprise at receiving a phone call in the middle of the night. Damon wasn't sure if he'd ever seen her without make-up.

Liz took the opportunity to step away and make a new phone call.

"Thank you for coming. I didn't have anyone else for Liz to call." She looked at him in relief. For the first time, Damon realized just how alone Carol was. He was struck by the irony of him being the main source of support for three different single women.

"I got here as soon as I could."

"I just don't understand it. He came home, and he was ranting about not knowing why he did it. He didn't mean to hurt her." Carol's eyes filled with tears. "He just wanted it over. He wanted it to stop. He wanted to be like Mason, but he couldn't even do that right." Tears began to spill down Carol's cheeks. "What did he mean?"

Damon forced himself to remain calm. Tyler had deliberately attacked Elena to try to get Damon to react. He'd used Elena as bait; he wanted Damon to kill him.

"Then he grabbed his keys and stormed out of the house. I didn't know where he was. I kept waiting for him to come back, but then Liz called."

Liz took Carol's hands. "We can't find any skid marks. He didn't try to stop, Carol. We believe he deliberately drove into the tree."

* * *

Elena straightened Claire's hat before she pulled her out of the car seat. She'd waited until late in the afternoon in the hope that the weather would warm up but a cool breeze blew through the scattered trees. She wished she'd called Jenna to watch the baby.

She slowly made her way through the once-familiar path before she stopped in front of the large gray stone. "Hi Mom. Hi Dad. I brought Claire out to visit." But Elena knew she was only putting off the inevitable. She hadn't come to visit her parents. Her destination was just over the low hill.

Taking a deep breath, she held Claire more tightly as she followed the walkway. Sooner than she would have liked, she stood before the charcoal headstone marked Stefan Salvatore. Off to the side of Stefan's grave was a small stone bench. She didn't remember it being there before, but she didn't really remember much from those early days. Backing up, she perched lightly on the edge of the seat. The cold stone pulled the heat from her legs - much like being here sucked the life out of her.

"Hi Stefan." Her voice wasn't even as loud as a whisper. "I brought Claire to see you." She tucked a blanket more firmly over Claire's legs. "She's such a good baby. She has to take after you. My mom always said I cried all the time. Of course, those first few weeks were hard, but Damon was there." Her voice cracked. She knew Stefan would have loved to have been the one sleeping with Claire on his chest. "You'd be so proud of your brother. He's really good with her." She sniffed. Claire would never know her real father. "Even on the night she was so sick and all she did was scream. He just walked all night and held her so I could sleep." Elena wiped the tears off her cheeks before they dripped on Claire's head. "I miss you, Stefan."

"I thought I'd find you here."

Elena jumped and jostled Claire wide-awake. She spun and saw Jeremy walking down the path.

"Whoa! What happened to your cheek? Is that what Tyler did?" Jeremy's face flushed with anger when Elena nodded. "I'm going to kill him."

"No you're not." Elena shook her head.

Jeremy studied the marks on his sister's neck. "He should have learned by now not to bother you."

"Jeremy, what he is...it isn't his fault. If Katherine had never come to town, Tyler would still be your friend. Besides, he's in the hospital. He rammed his truck into a tree last night."

Jeremy looked at her in surprise and sat on the bench next to his sister. "Was he drunk?"

"Yep. Damon's at the hospital with Carol right now. It doesn't look good." Elena wrapped the blanket over Claire's arms. Her skin had taken on the lacy appearance Elena had begun to associate with keeping Claire out in the cold too long. "I need to get her out of the wind. I'm not doing the ear infection thing again."

"Want to go to the Grill? I'll buy you coffee."

Elena sat and stirred the sugar into her coffee. "How did you know where I was?" Claire had fallen asleep on the short car ride over, and she lay still in her carrier in the booth next to Elena.

"Are you kidding?" He rolled his eyes. "Ever since Mom and Dad died, if something was bothering you, I always knew to look in the cemetery. When you weren't home today..." He shrugged.

Elena sipped her coffee while Jeremy waited for her to be ready to talk.

"Did Bonnie call you?"

"Mmmhmmm." Jeremy nodded as he took a bite of chocolate cake.

"Figures. That's the only way you would have known Tyler's the one who hit me. She was there."

"She was waiting for you to call her this morning."

"I forgot." Elena held her head in her hands. "I'm horrible."

"She knew you had a lot on your mind. Did you know Damon told Bonnie to give Tyler a witch-headache?"

Elena's eyes widened as she stared at her brother.

"I'll take that as a no. She didn't have a chance, though. She didn't see him again last night."

"Jeremy, you didn't really come down to talk to me about Tyler."

Jeremy shook his head and backed away as the waitress refilled his coffee. Tearing open his packet of sugar, he shook it in before stirring it slowly. "Elena, I'm your brother. I care about you." A look of mild concern came over Elena's face. Jeremy didn't often pull the worried brother routine. "I know you're beating yourself up right now." He stared earnestly at her. "I want you to listen to me. I know how much you miss Stefan. I heard you at the cemetery. I also heard who else you were talking about." Elena started to talk, but he stilled her with a look. "You loved Stefan. Everyone who saw the two of you together knew that. You'd never cheat on him. But he's gone now.

"I can tell you this as a husband if something happened to me, I'd want Hannah to know it was okay to move on. I love her, and nothing is more important to me than for her to be happy. Stefan felt the same way about you."

Elena suddenly found the pattern in the table very interesting.

"I'm not going to tell you what to do, but I know you. Don't keep yourself from being happy because you're afraid of what people will say. Stefan wouldn't want you to be alone."

A small smile tugged at Elena's cheeks. "The kids at your school are lucky to have you for a counselor."

"That's what you get paid the big bucks for."

* * *

The afternoon spent at the Class of 2011 picnic had been grueling. She'd had to endure a never-ending flow of people she'd grown up with but scarcely known as they'd cooed over Claire while offering their condolences for her loss of Stefan.

If they'd cared so much, they would have been there for her eight months ago.

She was exhausted - both in mind and body as she arrived home. Elena put Claire's carrier down in the entryway as she knelt and took the little girl out. "Damon?" She followed the smell of Italian into the kitchen.

Damon stood - stirring a pot on the stove. "Did Jeremy find you?"

"He called you?"

"Nope, but I saw him walking away from the house as I turned onto the street. I didn't think he was looking for me." Damon offered her a taste of the sauce and waited for her nod of approval. "Still needs to cook a little longer. Come on." He motioned to the couch. "You look exhausted."

"Not the most fun afternoon I've ever had. I have another party to go to tomorrow...what were we thinking when we voted to do these our senior year? If I wanted to keep in touch with my classmates, I would have." Elena sat on the couch and studied Damon's face. He seemed to be in an understandably serious mood. "You look like hell. How's Tyler?"

"Still in ICU." He squinted and raised his eyebrows. "We need to talk." He gave a half nod.

Elena swallowed as he reached down and pulled her feet into his lap.

He absently stroked his leg as he asked, "What are we doing here?"

"Is it wrong if I said I'm not sure?"

Damon laughed. "No." Of all the answers he'd prepared himself for during his hours of waiting at the hospital, that wasn't one of them.

Elena felt her cheeks redden. She wrote romantic novels for a living, and here she sat - tongue tied while talking to a man she'd known for almost 12 years. "I know I care about you. And I have to be honest. I need you. If you hadn't been here these past few weeks, I'd never have survived. I'll admit it. I'm afraid of doing anything that might keep you from helping with Claire."

He looked surprised. "Elena, I promise you, no matter what. I'll always be here for Claire."

Elena babbled on - once the words started, she was struggling to shut them off. "Yesterday, just after the parade, Bonnie came up to me and asked what was going on between the two of us, and I acted like she was crazy. Today I was talking with Jeremy, and I realized she wasn't insane."

"That's why he was here? He was talking about us?" A frown wrinkled his forehead in an expression that reminded her so much of Stefan, it tugged at her heart. When had she and Damon turned into us?

She nodded slowly, not quite ready to try to put what she was feeling into words. Great. An author who couldn't describe an emotion...no wonder she was still facing writer's block the size of the Great Wall of China.

"Your brother's a smart guy."

"But I still don't know what's going on between us." He lowered her feet to the floor and slid closer to her on the couch.

"Are you willing to try to find out?"

Elena nodded shyly. Somewhere, deep inside, she'd known that she was the reason why Damon had never left. He might use Ric's family and his responsibility to the town and the historic Salvatore home as excuses – but they were just convenient. Looking at him now, she understood that she was the reason he'd never ventured from Mystic Falls.

Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he pulled her close to him. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed having someone touch her…hold her. Elena felt safe for the first time in a very long time. His lips lightly brushed the top of her head. "Then that's all I need to know."


	15. Chapter 15

Author's note: I don't own TVD - I just borrow the characters on occasion.

Warnings: language, character death, sensitive subject matter

Before we get into the chapter, I hope don't mind if I take just a moment to clear a couple of things up. I'm not trying to be rude…or less than appreciative to all my lovely fans. But I've gotten a few PMs in a similar vein, and I figured there might be more than just those readers asking the same questions….

Yes, this story is a re-post. While I'd like to hope that means I'll be able to post updates faster than typical stories…I'm also editing as I go along. If I don't have time to edit, then I'm not posting the chapter.

I'm moving…as in – tomorrow. My family's doing a 2 phase move. The first move happens this week and the second in early June. Sometimes I need to pack or make sure my kids are still sane.

I'm a writer….as in – that's how I get paid in real life. I'm currently in-process on two projects with a third book in the edits stage. When I started this, I was between projects. That has changed. It's a good thing for me, but it's making things a bit slower for y'all. My apologies.

Hopefully, that will clear up a few of the questions about why I don't simply post this story all at once.

* * *

For the second time within the same 24-hour period, Damon sat on the couch in the ICU waiting room flipping through out-of-date magazines. He hoped whatever designer had selected the not-quite-olive furniture had to sit on it. For a long time. Wooden doors were probably more comfortable than the vaguely-plastic cushions. A wooden door would definitely be quieter. Every time he shifted as much as half an inch, a crackle fit to raise the dead signaled his movements, sending everyone in the room's heads spinning his direction.

When he'd arrived, Carol had been seated stiffly on the edge of the chair to his right. After much persuading, he'd managed to convince her to go to the cafeteria to get something to eat. If a crisis arose, she'd be less than three minutes from the ICU. Damon might be able to sit for hours or days, but his friend couldn't.

Finally, after making sure Damon had her cell phone number programed into his phone as well as writing the number on the whiteboard in the waiting room, Carol reluctantly walked in the direction of the cafeteria. Damon wasn't sure if she'd actually eat or just stare at her food. He strongly suspected the latter. Tyler had awakened during the night, but they were still strictly controlling his visitors. When Carol had come out of his room a few hours earlier, her face was a similar shade of gray to the faded ceiling tiles. Not a good sign.

"Mr. Salvatore?" A nurse craned her head and surveyed the room from behind the door with the sign _Please turn all cell phones off._

Damon's head snapped up in response. He wasn't sure why she didn't just announce why she needed him. While the area had been bustling with relatives and friends and medical staff earlier, they'd dwindled away. He was the only one in the waiting area at this time of day. Hiding his annoyance, he quickly made his way to her side.

"You can go see him now." She motioned over her shoulder and pointed in the direction of the oversized windows.

"Thank you." So Carol had put him on the list after all. Not a family member. Definitely not one of Tyler's friends. Damon knew that the majority of the hospital staff was using vervaine, meaning that he could only pay a visit to Tyler if Carol were convinced it would be a good idea. He'd volunteered to give her son a little _older brotherly _advice.

His hints must have worked. He'd wanted Carol to be far away when he had his discussion with Tyler. This was a conversation not meant to be overheard by those not involved in it.

"Through the double doors - third door on your left. He's still very weak, so try not to stay too long."

"I won't." Of that, Damon was very sure. What he had to say wouldn't take long. He put his hand to the door and took a deep breath before pushing it open. Saying he was still angry with Tyler was an understatement, but he knew the importance of keeping himself under control right now.

Tyler cracked his left eye as Damon walked into the room. Damon thought he saw a hint of surprise flash over Tyler's face, but it was difficult to tell beneath all the bandages. "What are you doing here?" Tyler's voice was cracked and muffled.

"Someone had to keep your mother company after you decided to turn a tree into your hood ornament. Liz called me." Damon stood next to the bed and stared down at Tyler. "Your mom told me what you said before you wrecked your car. What the hell did you think you were doing?"

Tyler's non-bandaged eye stared back at him. "Of all people, you know what it's like to live with something like this. I wanted it over."

"So that's why you really attacked Elena? To try to get me to help you with some kind of vampire-assisted suicide?" Damon's hands curled on the bed rail and he heard the plastic give a threatening crack.

"I didn't mean to hurt her. Really." He flinched as he swallowed. "That's what I'm trying to say. I never know what's going to happen when I get mad. It's like...I'm not even myself. I'm some kind of monster. Is she okay?"

Damon thought back to when he'd draped his jacket over Elena's torn dress and bleeding skin. "She'll be alright - no thanks to you."

He wasn't in the mood for handing out pity. Not when he knew that Mason had learned a way to control himself. If Tyler had known he was dangerous, he should have stayed away from Elena. And if Claire had been there… Damon felt his own inner monster try to come out to play.

Tyler flinched, although Damon wasn't sure if it was from pain or regret. "I should have waited. It was still too close to the full moon. I hate being like this." His brown eye looked up at Damon - an unspoken accusation. He paused and took a breath. "I thought you'd understand."

Damon glared at him. Tyler wasn't even denying what he'd tried to do. He saw a hint of his old self in Tyler - willing to use whoever was necessary - and that made him even more angry. "I understand _this._ If you _ever_ come close to Elena again, I will tear you apart while making sure I don't kill you. Mason was a jerk, but he learned how to keep the people around him safe. You need to take a lesson from your uncle."

"That's what I was trying to do."

* * *

"Thanks for coming here. Sorry I bailed on the picnic." Elena took Bonnie's jacket as she came into the house. She knew she was taking the easy way out, but being the widow of a vampire with an infant on her hip was enough to deal with every day. Going to the reunion picnic knowing that she looked like she'd gone several rounds in the boxing ring was simply more than she could handle.

Looking at Bonnie's reaction when Elena had opened the door convinced her that she'd made a good decision. Even with plenty of warning, she hadn't missed her friend's gasp of surprise.

Bonnie studied Elena's bruised face. "You didn't miss anything. It was pretty boring. Lots of guys who'd looked much better ten years ago were hitting on girls they barely knew their names back in high school. Not exactly the highlight of my year. I was glad you gave me a reason to leave. Are you sure you're okay?"

Elena nodded. "It looks worse than it feels."

"It looks pretty bad.

"Where's Claire?"

"Asleep, and I'm hoping she stays that way for a little bit. Want some coffee?" Elena stepped into the kitchen. She noticed Bonnie continuing to stare. This wasn't why she'd asked her best friend to come over. If she wanted someone to stare at her face and cringe, she could have just called Damon and asked him to come back over to her house.

"Really, I'm fine. I want to know about this." Elena pointed to Bonnie's ring, trying to change the subject. "Have you two set a date?"

"January 10th."

Elena set her cup on the table as she stared blankly at Bonnie. "What did you just say?"

"Oh, you heard me right." Bonnie's smile faded. "Caysen's mom is really sick. Cancer. He wants to make sure she's here for the wedding."

Elena counted on her fingers. "That's barely three months." She took a sip of coffee, wishing it were laced with something stronger. "What did your dad say?"

"Before or after he asked if I was pregnant?"

Elena choked on her coffee. She had to admit, she'd been trying to decide how to ask the same question. "After."

"Once I convinced him the answer to that question was no, he was actually fine with it. I think he's just happy I've found the one." Bonnie's face took on a dreamy expression. "And I have, Elena. Dad said that if I knew Caysen was the right one for me, I really didn't need to think about what anyone else would say."

Elena ignored Bonnie's smirk ... that last comment was apparently intended as a barely-veiled message to her. "Will your dad be catering?"

"He's just happy we decided after Christmas. The wedding's going to be really small, though. There aren't many Bennetts around." Bonnie ran her finger around the rim of her coffee cup. "Do you think Kennedy would be my flower girl?"

"You can ask Jenna. They're going to be here in a little bit. She wanted to show me something, and I said I'd be home. How are you going to get everything together that fast?"

"I'm counting on my maid of honor for that." Bonnie gave her a hesitant smile. "Will you?"

"Are you sure you don't want someone who can actually fit in a dress?"

"Don't give me that." Bonnie swatted Elena's arm. "I just hope I look as good as you do after I have a baby." Bonnie laughed. "And the answer to your question is still no. I'm really not pregnant."

A sharp series of knocks threatened to topple the front door. Only one herd made that much noise. If they woke up Claire….

"And that would be Jenna with her crew." Elena jumped to her feet while the

"Trick or treat!" A very large ladybug hopped into Elena's living room.

"A little early, don't you think?"

"Trick or treat!" Kennedy insisted.

"You can thank your nephew for that. He _helped_ explain Halloween to her today." Jenna frowned at her son.

"I just wanted to make sure last year didn't happen again."

No one wanted a repeat of last year. Without explaining what they were doing, Kennedy and Jackson happily mounted the stairs at Damon's house, only to have a very confused Kennedy when Damon handed her one Hershey bar – not the entire bowl. After an unsuccessful attempt to explain the concept of _just one _to the two year old from Ric, Damon relented and gave her the entire pumpkin-shaped bowl.

"That's…actually probably a good idea." Elena reluctantly nodded at her nephew.

"Trick!"

Tug. Kennedy's fingers took hold of the hem of Elena's jacket.

"Or!"

Tug.

"Treat!" Kennedy gave an insistent pull on Elena's jacket with each word.

"You are an awfully cute bug." Elena bent down and scooped her up. "Let me see what I can do." She carried Kennedy into the kitchen as she looked over her niece's shoulder. "You could have at least warned me that she wanted candy." Elena sat Kennedy down on the counter while she dug through the pantry. "I have a bag of chocolate chips. You could get your mom to make cookies when you get home."

"Cookies!" Kennedy grabbed the bag and stuffed it into her trick or treat bag.

"Thank you, Elena. Just see if I watch Claire for you on Friday."

"What's Friday?"

"Crap." Jenna muttered under her breath. As a scandalized Jackson looked on, she pursed her lips. "Obviously, you didn't know." She raised her eyebrows and looked at the floor. "I said _nothing_."

"Jenna, I have a question for you." Bonnie appeared to be trying to bail Jenna out of her predicament she'd gotten herself into. Bonnie knew about Friday too.

"What's Friday?" Elena turned to her friend.

Bonnie acted like she couldn't hear Elena. "Could I borrow your kids for my wedding?"

"You want _her_?" Jenna nodded to Kennedy.

"She's just so cute." Bonnie laughed.

"And she knows it. Come on, you two. You got what you wanted. Let's give Aunt Elena some peace and quiet."

* * *

Damon walked up the sidewalk balancing a pizza box just as Bonnie stepped out onto the porch.

"I didn't know you had dinner plans."

"Neither did I." Elena looked slightly suspicious.

"It's hard to find a babysitter on short notice." Damon smirked. "I thought this was as close to a date as I was going to get tonight."

Bonnie looked back and forth between Elena and Damon - so much for nothing going on between the pair. Elena hadn't even flinched when Damon called tonight's plans a date. "I think that's my cue to leave." She turned back and called into the house. "Remember...Saturday morning if you want any say in what you'll be wearing."

"I'll be there, Bonnie."

"Otherwise, I'm going with pink taffeta."

Elena rolled her eyes. "Oh no. I'm not going to look like a pink cupcake at your wedding. I'll be there."

"Bring Kennedy. We need to see what size she is."

"That should be amusing." Bonnie had never tried to shop with Kennedy in tow. Her friend might never have children after that experience.

Elena closed the door behind Bonnie and inhaled. "You picked up pizza?"

"Think of it as dinner and a movie. We'll just have to check the television to see about the movie." A whimper came from upstairs. "You go take care of her. I'll keep this hot."

Elena went upstairs just as the whimper turned into a full-blown wail. "I hear you." She tickled Claire's stomach and was rewarded with a smile. "I think you know just how cute you are too. Please don't take after your cousin. Are you already hungry?" It seemed like she'd just fed her an hour ago. Claire was definitely in growth-spurt territory.

She sat in the chair and unbuttoned her shirt. Claire reached up to play with her hair. "Oh, please don't start pulling my hair." She tugged the handful of hair away from Claire's grip.

After Claire was satisfied, Elena walked down the stairs with her. She turned and looked in the direction of the kitchen but was surprised to see flickering coming from the dining room. "Candles?"

"We're going for a fine dining experience tonight." He took Claire from her and placed her on the ocean-themed activity gym on the floor.

For the first time, Elena focused on what Damon was wearing. His dark-washed jeans weren't out of character. But he was wearing a button down shirt…and a tie. "I'm seriously underdressed."

Her heart churned in her chest, causing the corner of Damon's lips to turn up in a grin. God, she was nervous. If only Damon hadn't called this a date. She'd eaten with Damon—probably hundreds of times. What was different about tonight?

And then she noticed the look in his eyes…and she knew exactly what was different.

This was. A _date. _And he wasn't going to let her forget it. His eyes roamed her face like a museum visitor staring at a work of art.

She was on a date. With _Damon_.

She summoned her courage and swallowed thickly. Yes, this was a date. But under the current of barely contained fear…she had to admit that she was excited.

"You always look gorgeous." He pulled out her chair and pushed it in after she took a seat.

Rain began to fall outside and lightning flashed in the distance. Damon carried the last of the dishes into the kitchen as Elena came down the stairs from putting Claire to bed. Elena's shoulders tensed as thunder clapped and shook the windows. She walked into the living room and sat on the couch, clearly uneasy. Damon settled next to her on the couch and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "It's just rain - no storms. I checked the radar."

He used the remote control to flip through the channels just as his cell phone buzzed. "_Hello_?" A concerned expression washed over his face. He turned his back to Elena and walked into the kitchen.

Elena could see the tension ripple through the muscles on his back.

"When did it happen?" He paused. "Do you need any help?" He drummed his fingers on the edge of the countertop. "Thursday...Tell her to call if she needs me."

Damon ended the call and stood silently in the kitchen.

"Damon?" Elena came to stand next to him.

He clenched his jaw as he looked into her face. "Tyler Lockwood died."

"What happened?"

"The doctors think it was a blood clot from the wreck. His heart stopped."

"Do you need to go to Carol?" She jumped as thunder rolled in the distance.

Damon entwined his fingers with hers as he walked back to the couch. "No, Liz is taking her home. The doctors gave her something to help her sleep." He sat back on the couch and pulled her next to him. "I hate this for Carol, but it really is better it happened this way."

Elena stared at him in surprise.

Damon's voice took on a dangerous edge. "He didn't want to live with the curse any longer, and he knew how to get me to do what he wanted."

"He's not stronger than you are."

Damon reached out and stroked her cheek. "No, but he knew I'd kill him if he hurt you again."


End file.
